Tested In Fire
by Mis Chi Evous
Summary: A prophecy, girls, and surprise Potions tests all run rampant in Harry's 6th year. PLEASE R
1. Prologue

Harry, Happy sixteenth birthday. James asked me to give you this should anything ever happen to him and well.obviously something did, and anyway.  
  
Sirius crumpled up the paper, irritated that he couldn't even write a sentence that made sense. Hmph. Maybe he should just go ahead and write the blasted thing and then write the letter to Harry. There was a sharp knock on the door.  
  
He was staying at Remus Lupin's house for the summer, and it looked as if it might turn out to be an even longer visit. He had been cleared of all charges by the Ministry, but there wasn't anywhere he could get a job that he knew of, so he was sort of stuck.  
  
"Sirius? What are you doing?" He turned and faced a worried looking Remus. I shouldn't wonder he's looking worried. Look at this mess. I must have thrown out at least 25 letters.  
  
"Remember when James.?" His voice trailed off. "Well, you know when James asked us to make sure Harry knew what really happened between Lily and him. Tell him all about Prongs and all that?" Remus nodded, still confused.  
  
"Well, an owl sent me this today, when I was eating breakfast," he said and shoved a piece of parchment underneath of Remus's nose.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's from Prongs." Remus shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"Somebody's pulling something over on you."  
  
"No. It's sealed with James' Marauder's Mark. You know- his personal stamp."  
  
"Yes, of course I remember. We each had our own," he said crossly.  
  
"Right. There was only one for each individual. And only that particular person could use the stamp, remember?"  
  
"I haven't gone completely daft, Sirius." He turned the folded paper over and sure enough, there was the antlers and JP symbol with the Potter ivy growing around it. The Prongs stamp. He unfurled the paper and suddenly words started to appear.  
  
Padfoot and Moony!  
  
Dear friends, how absolutely spiffing to get to write you again, only I'm afraid that this time there is no Dungbomb enclosed, as Lily said that it would be improper to include one in such a serious letter. (She always spoils my fun)  
  
I have a request to make. I'm sure that the both of you are taking great care of Harry, but there is something you must tell him. I understand that it is probably painful for you to talk about Lily and me, but he must know the truth. Between Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy (who will both try to come into contact with Harry, I am quite sure) he will never get a chance to know what really happened at Hogwarts that year.  
  
I know that you, in particular, Sirius, do not believe the prophecy, but you must tell him. It is in his best interest. That it what we all want, after all.  
  
If you received this letter what we all feared has happened, and I (as well as Lily) am dead at the moment. Harry needs to know all about the Potters, and no one knows more about them than you, Sirius. He also needs to know about the prophecy and how to defend himself, and that's your area of expertise, Remus. Please, I implore you, help your old friend Prongs this one last time. Harry means the world to Lily and I and we cannot bear the thought of anything happening to him.  
  
See you all.hopefully sometime!  
  
Prongs  
  
Remus's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Wait a minute," he stuttered, "he doesn't mention Wormtail anywhere."  
  
"That's because if he was dead, Wormtail would have leaked. Or anyway, that's what James would have assumed," Sirius said.  
  
"Are you going to tell him all about this?" Remus asked.  
  
"I don't think so. I think I'm going to apply for that job at Hogwarts."  
  
"James wanted us to tell him about the prophecy," Remus objected.  
  
"That prophecy is a load of rubbish," Sirius said and ran a hand back through his dark hair.  
  
"Why is Voldermort so interested in the Potters, then?" Remus countered.  
  
"They're powerful, rich, and Lily and James were on to him. Why not go after them?" Remus narrowed his eyes.  
  
"There's more to it than that, and you know it." Sirius just shook his head and threw some powder onto the fire.  
  
"Albus Dumbledore," he said loudly and clearly.  
  
"You mean to tell me that he just called you out of the blue and asked for the job?" Minvera McGonagall was having a bit of trouble believing that Sirius Black would do something so ridiculous.  
  
"Yes. I mean exactly what I said," Professor Dumbledore responded, a little tired of this line of questioning.  
  
"He's going to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts? I thought Remus was going to do that again."  
  
"Only if we couldn't get someone else to fill the position," he said firmly.  
  
"Aren't some of the parents going to make a stink about Sirius Black teaching their children?"  
  
"Honestly, Minerva, if I didn't know any better I would think that you don't want him teaching here." She sighed.  
  
"Just remember all the trouble he caused when he was here. What kind of teacher would he be?" Dumbledore laughed.  
  
"Surely you're not basing your opinion of him on the boy you knew twenty years ago? You've met him since then. You know he's changed."  
  
"I know it's just that with Harry here and all."  
  
"That's why Sirius is here: to keep an extra eye on Harry. We can never have too many people here looking after him. Voldermort is increasing his efforts. Twenty Muggles dead today, all with connections to the wizarding world, and the Muggle police have no leads. The bodies all look suspiciously like they've had one of the Unforgiveables put on them." Professor McGonagall shook her head and breathed in shaky gulp of air.  
  
"I was hoping that it would be all over when Harry survived."  
  
"We all were. Mrs. Weasley sent me a letter today," Dumbledore said briskly.  
  
"Oh?" McGonagall wasn't going to say any more than that Dumbledore saw, so he continued.  
  
"She was asking me if it would be okay for Harry to come spend a month or so with them." The head of Gryffindor House shook her head slightly.  
  
"It's your decision, Headmaster," she said formally.  
  
"Well, what do you think?"  
  
"I don't know that it's safe, but those Muggles he's staying with are just horrible, and they get worse every year. I can hardly believe she's related to Lily." Her eyes filled with tears, and Dumbledore thought that she was in serious danger of crying.  
  
"We all know how much Lily meant to you, Minerva. Perhaps you could spend some time at the Weasley's house this summer. You went to school with Molly, didn't you?" She nodded her head. Of course the Headmaster already knew that she had been in the same year as Arthur and Molly Weasley. They were closer friends than any of the Weasley children had suspected. "I'll owl them and tell them that you agreed to come and visit them." She picked up her head.  
  
"They invited me?"  
  
"Yes. You all haven't had a chance to visit without me there in such a long time that Molly thought it would be nice. Of course, she didn't say it that way in the letter, but that's the way it came out."  
  
"Don't you think it will be weird for the children to have a Professor visiting their house over the summer?" Dumbledore grinned.  
  
"I'm sure that Harry and Ron will think of something that will make it not so awkward. Besides, I understand that Ms. Granger will be visiting at the same time, so they will hardly be around. The other advantage to you going is that Voldermort won't attack with Molly, Arthur, you and all the boys home."  
  
"All of the Weasley boys are coming home for the summer?"  
  
"I suspect it's going to be slightly crowded at the Burrow," Dumbledore said and his eyes twinkled. 


	2. A Prophecy, Among Other Things

Chapter 1

Harry sat underneath the comforter, flashlight in hand, considering the possibilities for his History of Magic essay: "Why the Goblins Feel the Need to Rebel Every 200 Years". Even though they had loosened up on the rules (due mostly to the fact that his godfather, Sirius Black was a convicted murderer), the Dursleys were still paranoid about any sort of magic at all, and Harry felt it was best not to rile them at this moment in time.

The Weasleys had always treated Harry much better than the Dursleys, and he wished he was there right now, instead of Number Four, Privet Drive. The thought of the Weasleys made him think about Ron, which sort of depressed Harry. He wasn't going to be able to see Ron until his birthday, when he would finally be allowed to spend the rest of the summer holiday with them.

Hedwig knocked politely on Harry's window as quiet as she could possibly be. Harry had sent her off with letters to Ron and Hermione earlier that day, and she had returned with their responses. Suddenly Harry glanced at the alarm clock he'd borrowed from Dudley which's sound didn't work because his fat cousin had sat on it one too many times. It was four in the morning, time for him to put away his books and destroy all evidence that he had been working on anything remotely magical.

His head hit the pillow and Harry immediately fell asleep.

****

Blissful, dreamless sleep, sleep Harry desperately needed was not to be, for he awoke at six that same morning to the screams of his Aunt Petunia. Running down the stairs to see what exactly the problem was, he grinned. Emerging from the fireplace were two red heads. 

"Hello," said Arthur Weasley, Ron's father, Head of the Department of Muggle Relations at the British Ministry. Vernon Dursley dropped his fat jaw in amazement. After all, Harry had just arrived, and there were several things that he still needed done around the house. He was still fixated on the idea that he could somehow drive the abnormality from Harry with hard work. Besides, Harry still had to put in that new floor. Petunia just wanted all of them, including Harry, out of her house. However, both of them kept their mouths shut.

"Ron!" Harry and the extremely tall red head shook hands and clasped each other in one armed embraces.

"You all right there, Harry?" At this Harry nodded and they broke apart. He turned his head to face Arthur. Vernon and Petunia had not opened their mouths yet.

"You're here early," Harry said, pretending not care. In truth, he couldn't believe his luck. Arthur and Ron could see through his façade, though, and grinned.

"Molly and I convinced Dumbledore that it would be safe for you to spend a longer time at the Burrow."

"All right!" Harry jumped up, one fist in the air. He was the happiest Ron had ever seen his friend since the last encounter with the Dark Lord, which had left Professor Snape in a near comatose state with his cover blown, Peter Pettigrew in the custody of the Ministry of Magic, and Dean Thomas dead. "I'll go pack my things."

"Now wait a bloody moment. Did I say you could go?" Vernon Dursley sneered. At the look on Harry's face he said, "See here…"

"No. You see here. I'm going to the Weasleys' for the summer, and there's nothing you can do about it." Harry's voice was demanding, harsh. Vernon recoiled and was about to yell again when Petunia shook her head. When he saw that he wasn't going to have to argue about it anymore, he took off for the stairs. Ron just shook his head.

"Stubborn git," he whispered fondly.

Ginny woke with a start. Harry was coming today if everything went well, and that meant her night mares would cease for a while, while she felt protected from Him. Tom.

She would still wake in a cold sweat, dreaming of his face. However, if she managed to hold on to the dream, to remain asleep, the dream would shift. She would become Lily Potter. Seeing, feeling, and hearing everything that Lily saw on the night she died up until James was killed. Pain would wrench her heart in two, tears would swell up, and she would wake with a soaked pillow.

Hermione was the only one who knew about the dreams, and the correspondence between them had grown so personal Ginny considered "Mione" to be her best friend. Still, she couldn't bring herself to tell Mione, or anyone for that matter, about becoming Lily Potter every night.

'She would probably think that I'm still that 2nd year who had a crush on "The Famous Harry Potter".' Yet another voice in her head sneered back, 'You still are. People, especially Harry, think that you have a crush on him because he _is "The Famous Harry Potter".'_

In her heart, Ginny knew that her feelings were much more than a simple crush. Still, Harry barely paid any attention to her, other than to acknowledge her presence as Ron's little sister.

Biting her lip, Ginny made the decision she had made every day of the week this summer. Nobody would ever know about the dreams.

********************************************************************************

Minerva McGonagall sat in her room in the temporary addition to the Burrow, looking out the window at a particularly sad looking Ginny Weasley. As she watched, Ginny tossed a lock of her unruly red hair out of her eyes. Minerva pondered not for the first time why the story was always the same with the Potter men. The Professor had watched three generations of them flounder around in life. She knew the story. The girl would develop the crush, adoring from far away (okay so maybe it wasn't that dramatic, but still…) and the young man would be completely dense and not notice until he himself developed one. Then he would go about acting like an idiot trying to earn her affection, not realizing that she had been in love with him the whole time. The only question in Minerva's mind was how long it was going to take this young Potter. There was one advantage to loving them, though as Lily had pointed out. Potter men fell in love once, once only and hard.

In fact, she was recalling Lily Evans right now. Red hair, that was what had triggered the memory. Lily Evans had bright red hair. Suddenly she stood. Now was not the time to get emotional. Heaven only knew how the relationship was going to work out, what with Voldermort running around alive and all. Then again, adolescent hearts were curious things and no amount of wishing was going to change anything. 

'Although,' she thought with a smile, 'the wishes of Albus Dumbledore are _nothing to be sneezed at._

**********************************************************************************

Nothing had changed at the Burrow since Harry had been there last, in the summer before his fifth year. He stepped out of the fireplace after Ron and ran a hand through his hair, brushing his scar gently. Mrs. Weasley walked in just as Harry winced from the chance contact. She was just about to exclaim in horror when Minerva McGonagall walked in.

"He-l-l-l-o, P-P-ro-fe-ssor," he stammered. The head of Gryffindor house smiled broadly.

"Surprised to see me, Harry? Don't be. Molly and I are good friends." Ron nodded and winked. Harry glared at Ron.

"It gave Bill and Charlie quite a start when they found out. Fred and George took it in stride, of course, but Percy had quite a fit."

"You never mentioned Professor McGonagall coming to your house before," Harry accused Ron as they trudged up the stairs.

"Well, normally she doesn't come up here. Mum always exchanged letters with her, but for some reason Dumbledore gave her the summer off and Mum thought it would be nice if she came and spent some time with us. They go off and shop and such but for the most part she keeps to herself."

"I thought Professor McGonagall was ages older than your mom." Ron bit his lip and opened his mouth to reply.

"Well, they were in the same year at Hogwarts, but then McGonagall went to an island somewhere to study primitive Transfiguration and something happened and she came back like thirty years older. She won't talk about it much, which Mum says is understandable." Harry looked at Ron in unbelief. "I'm serious! Would you have believed me if I told you that Professor Lupin was a werewolf in 3rd year?" Harry shook his head and let out a laugh.

"You didn't know Remus was a werewolf in the 3rd year until we all found out."

"Harry…."

"Okay, fine. Touche." There was a sudden explosion from one of the rooms upstairs. "I thought Fred and George were moving to Diagon Alley."

"They are, in about a month. Meanwhile, they're busy driving Mum insane with new inventions." 

"I don't know what the Burrow would be like without having to live in constant fear of the newest from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes," he said and grinned. Ron noticed he was a great deal happier away from the Dursleys. 'Probably because he won't have time to stew about the battle here at the Burrow,' he thought. 'That would make me happy if I was him.'

Ron's room was as orange as it had always been, Harry noted with amusement. Chudley Cannons grinned at him from posters all over the room. He threw his side of the trunk down at the same time as Ron let his go.

"Thanks for rescuing me, Ron," he said. Ron laughed, but he couldn't help but notice how grateful Harry's eyes were.

**********************************************************************************

Ginny could hear Harry and Ron in their room, discussing all sorts of things, but mostly Quidditch, unless she missed her guess. 'What would Harry think of me now,' she wondered. He probably wouldn't notice her at all, she thought and gave her ponytail a final tug and headed downstairs to be the last one at the table, again. 

PART TWO: IN WHICH HARRY TAKES NOTICE 

The food was being passed around the Weasley table busily when Ginny finally came down.

"Hey Gin!" Ron called out, his mouth full of sausage. Harry raised his head and smiled. Or at least, he was planning on smiling, but it turned out to be an appreciative half grin.

Ginny Weasley had grown up over the summer. Her hair had darkened a couple of shades, her hips had rounded, and she had grown taller. It seemed to Harry that her legs were a mile long. He had the grace to blush a little after he had finished surveying her. Even Cho Chang hadn't made him look at her like that- and Cho Chang wasn't his best friend's sister! Fortunately, none of the Weasleys had noticed. Ginny walked around to kiss her mother on the cheek. The only empty seat was next to Harry and as she walked toward it, Harry pulled it out gently for her.

Ginny's heart stopped for a minute when she saw Harry's grin and he pulled out the chair for her. However, he immediately picked up his conversation about the Firebolt 909, the newest model of racing broom. There seemed to be a discussion about the new brakes.

"What do you think, Gin?" Fred asked seriously. George raised his eyebrows at Fred, but he appeared interested.

"I think," she took a deep breath, "that you need to pass me the mashed potatoes." Everyone at the table roared and she noticed that Harry's eyes twinkled with amusement.

Fred finally did pass her the potatoes.

Ginny woke suddenly from her dreams, more frightened than usual. There was a slow creak as her door opened. She was about to scream again when she recognized the pair of haunting green eyes that pierced the night.

"James?" No. That was silly. James had brown eyes. "Harry!" For a second she had been Lily Potter, in love with James, but terrified of having him in her room. Then in a flash she was back to being Ginny Weasley, in love with Harry.

"Ginny? What's going on?" Sweat trickled down her face and her eyes were wild.

"Harry! I'm sorry! I'm-I'm…" she threw her head in her hands. Harry stood in shock, unsure of where or what to do. Her shoulders heaved and then he knew what to do. Her shoulders heaved and then he knew what to do. He sat next to her on her bed and wrapped himself around her so he could wait for her explanation patiently. "Thank you."

"What's wrong, Gin?" She held on to his chest and her eyes watered over.

"I don't know if I can tell you." Harry turned her chin so she had to look directly into his eyes.

"You can tell me anything." Shivers ran up and down her back at the tone of his voice.

"You'll blame yourself and it's not your fault!" Her eyes traced the tiny scars he still had on his face from the Triwizard Tournament and last year's confrontation.

"Please? It helps if you talk about it." She thought quickly, not wanting to give away her secrets. They were sitting so close, closer than they have ever sat before, and Ginny's mind was reeling.

"I'm having these dreams, and they're horrible! I'm back in the Chamber, you know…" Harry's fists clenched so hard they turned white. "No! It's not your fault! None of it was your fault," Ginny insisted and turned around to face him once again. "You saved my life! I never got a chance to thank you, you know. I _am grateful." Harry's eyes twinkled._

"I know, Gin." Then he smiled so tenderly her heart broke in two. She turned around again so she could lay her head against his heart. This was the most they had ever talked. Ever since her relationship with Hermione had blossomed into a close friendship, she had hung out with Harry and Ron more, out of necessity. Still…

"I see Tom's face, leering at me and then it all changes. I'm not sure I can tell you this, Harry…" Absently he picked up her hand and stroked it. Small sparks of electricity passed through her skin.

"You don't have to tell me everything, but maybe you should tell someone." She nodded weakly.

"Thanks for saving me. Why-I mean.."

"I heard you screaming my dad's name," here he grinned but it didn't reach his eyes, "and I couldn't sleep tonight either. My scar hurt but somehow being with you makes it much easier to deal with." All the time he'd been removing himself from her and he stood up. Walking to the door, he started out but then turned around. "Try to get some sleep Ginny. G'night."

****************************************************************************

The Weasley breakfast seemed louder than usual, even to Ginny, who was accustomed to them. She rubbed her eyes and stumbled down the stairs. When she reached the bottom step and looked around the rail, four strong arms grabbed her and placed her lightly on the ground. Then two pairs of lips gave her a kiss on either cheek.

"Morning, Gin!"

"'Lo, Little One!"

"Bill! Charlie!" She jumped up to hug Bill first, fingering his new earring and then kissing him on the right cheek.  

"What am I, dragon meat?" Charlie asked.

"Oh you," Immediately Charlie had an armful of Ginny, who promptly kissed both of his cheeks. Charlie winked at Bill, who scowled. The running joke between them was that Ginny loved one of them more than the other, and they were forever trying to figure out who it was.

Arms around each on each other, they all walked to the kitchen, Ginny demanding to know why they were in England. 

"You could have TOLD me you were coming!"

"Well, to be honest with you, we just didn't know for sure," Charlie started.

"We didn't want to get you all excited for something that might not happen. It's not every day you get to see your favorite brother Bill."

"What are you talking about man? I'm her favorite brother!" Charlie was truly insulted. Or at least he was acting like it. Ginny watched in amusement as they duked it out.

"Well, at least I have the good sense to stay away from dragons!"

"Sand wraiths aren't any better, dear brother o' mine!"

"Yes, well, it takes intelligence to fight those. All you have to do to Keep dragons is be able to fly!"

"Nuh huh!"

"Yes huh!" The argument ended with them both sticking their tongues out at each other.

"You didn't ever grow up, did you?"  
            "Of course not," Bill said.

"Growing up is no fun. You should try it some day. Trust me, you'll only do it once." Charlie was grinning like a Chesire cat.

"Giving dear old Ginny a bit of brotherly advice, then?" Down the stairs trooped the twins, decked out in the most amazing wizarding robes Ginny had ever seen. Fred, of course, had made the comment.

"That's what we're here for, old boy. You've done your part to ensure we all grew up safe…" 

"Responsible…." Ginny laughed.

"I love you all very dearly," she started, "but I wouldn't exactly describe you as responsible."

"Insane, there's a good word," Bill said.

"Completely off your rockers," Charlie suggested.

"How 'bout nutters?" Ron asked, keen on getting in on this conversation.

"The phrase 'mental institution' does come to mind," Percy said as he came down the stairs after them.

"I don't suppose you're interested in buying anything today, then?" Fred asked.

"_I intend on buying out the store," Harry remarked as he came down the stairs._

"Come now, surely family gets the first go at it. While you certainly are a Weasley at heart Harry, I'm afraid that technically…" Charlie's voice trailed off. "Besides I really want some of those Canary Creams. I know just the girl who would fall for that sort of thing."

"Well now, that's a sure fire way to charm her into your bed," Percy said sarcastically. Everyone was honestly quite surprised.

"I do believe Percy made a joke!" Fred's face was elated.

"I had lost all hope," George sobbed.

"Oh, you're all melodramatic!" Ginny exclaimed, but she laughing to hard to care.

"Us?" George held his hand over his heart. "Did you hear what she called us?"

"Truly I am insulted. I've never…this is too much." Fred fanned himself with his hand. "Oh, I must find a place to sit down," he said in a fake American Southern accent. (A/N: Think "Gone With The Wind")

"Good grief," Ginny murmured.

"What have you been cooking up?" Harry asked to change the subject. He was getting a little bit overwhelmed.

"Edible Exploding Snap…er…sort of." Fred said.

"The problem is it explodes once it's inside of you, instead of before hand…" George started.

"The game is supposed to be that you have to eat it before it explodes. Well, it's not much fun when it does explode…inside your stomach."

"Poor Errol." Fred said.

"Poor Errol," George echoed.

"What happened to him?" Ginny asked in a panic.

"It's okay really," George said.

"He just lost a few feathers."

"And a stomach…"

"It's a good thing owls have two of those," Bill said, catching on to the game.

"You know, I read somewhere that they die if they lose one," Charlie remarked casually.

"Really is a shame," Ron jumped in, "heaven only knows how long he's been with the family. Mum and Dad must have used him to exchange love letters." There was a universal 'Ahhhhhh'.

"You're just playing with me!" Ginny yelled.

"Calm down, Gin. One of these days you'll beat the twins at they're own game," Charlie said.

"Don't give her any ideas!" Fred was horrified.

"No kidding. She's a bloody genius with Charms. She could…." Suddenly George's eyes got a mischievous glint in them. "She could Charm our Snaps not to explode to late…"

"I'll bet she's known how to do it the whole time."

"That's not fair!"

"Au contaire," Charlie said, "She beat you at your own game."

End Chapter 1


	3. Quidditch Through The Burrow

The Quidditch game is dedicated to my brother, Draco Verde, for all of his love and support, despite the fact that I write "sappy romance". Therefore, the action in this chapter is dedicated to you. The rest of the chapter, without question, is dedicated to Patrick and Caitlin, who have me to blame for their interest in Harry Potter fanfiction.  
  
A special thanks to Paula for keeping me on track grammatically and in canon, for the most part.  
  
Tested In Fire- Chapter Two Quidditch Through the Borrow  
  
"How bout a game of Quidditch, Harry?" George shouted out merrily to the boy who was stretched out in the living room floor with his copy of 'Quidditch Through the Ages.'  
  
"All right, let me go get my Firebolt," Harry said as he bounded up the stairs towards his room.  
  
When he reached the backyard, everyone was there waiting for him. "I don't quite know how we're going to do this, we don't have an even number of people," Ron was saying.  
  
"Wait a minute. It's a Saturday, isn't it?" Everyone turned to look at Ginny.  
  
"Yes, it is. Why is that so important?" Charlie asked and raised his eyebrows at his youngest sibling.  
  
"Percy's home." Ginny's smile was mischievous.  
  
"You'll never convince Percy to play with us," Bill said flatly.  
  
"Yes, I will," with that, Ginny dashed off inside.  
  
"There goes another player," Ron said. "She'll never get him to play, I don't know why she's even bothering."  
  
"I don't know about that. Would you care to make a bet?" Fred asked.  
  
"What do you know that I don't?" Ron countered.  
  
"We don't know anything in particular," George said.  
  
"We do know a small number of things that lead us to believe that she will be able to get him to play, however," Fred finished.  
  
"Consider the following," George began. "One: Penelope and Ginny had a nice long talk when she went up to visit him at the Ministry two weeks ago."  
  
"Two: Percy and Penelope broke up six months ago. Why were Ginny and Penelope talking? Or, to be exact, who were they talking about? Could it be our dear dense brother Percy?"  
  
"Three: Ginny has Percy's sock supply for the next two weeks." George said and winked.  
  
"Would anyone like to take us up on our offer then?" When no one did, Fred nodded sagely. "I figured that would be the way it would go."  
  
A few minutes later, Ginny came downstairs with Percy in tow. "I don't believe it. I don't bloody believe it," Ron said, his eyes wide.  
  
"All right then. Harry will captain one team, and Charlie will captain the other," Bill said. "Ron, why don't you be the Keeper for Charlie, and I'll be the Keeper for Harry. Fred, why don't you go with Harry and George with Charlie? You're going to be Beaters, obviously. Ginny, you get to be Chaser for Harry and Percy will be the Chaser for Charlie. Harry and Charlie will be the Seekers." Everyone around the circle grinned. These showdowns between two of the best Seekers Gryffindor, let alone Hogwarts, had ever seen were always great entertainment. "Right then. Captains, shake hands."  
  
Harry and Charlie smirked as they enclosed their hands around each other's. While Charlie rarely got the chance to play Quidditch these days, he still flew on a regular basis, because of his job. Harry, however, would argue (when they got in these discussions) that there was nothing like playing Quidditch, and if you didn't play regularly, you were simply out of shape. Fred and George winked at each other, and everyone knew that they would spend most of the day hitting Bludgers at each other and probably wouldn't bother anyone else. Ron and Bill, at opposite sides of the Weasley spectrum didn't have the friendly sibling rivalry that the others shared. They just watched them with amusement. Ginny and Percy were each focusing on a distant point off in space, lost in their own little worlds.  
  
"Ready?" Charlie asked, on one side of the case that held the Quidditch balls that Harry had gotten when Gryffindor had won the House Cup last year. The Death Eaters still hadn't found a way to penetrate Hogwarts at that point.  
  
"Ready as we'll ever be," Fred said, club in hand. Charlie tossed the Quaffle in the air, let loose the Bludgers, and then grinned one last time at Harry before he let loose the Snitch.  
  
The older Weasleys had transfigured six garden rocks into goals for the Chasers, and they stood at opposite ends of the yard. It was really going to be a match of the Seekers, which meant that it was going to be a sight to see. "ONE," Bill shouted, "TWO- THREE!" They kicked off from the ground and took off at high speed.  
  
Ginny caught the quaffle that Percy had dropped when he kicked off and raced towards Ron, with Percy in hot pursuit. She rolled over on her broom and heaved the ball through the ring the furthest on the left with all her might. Ron, however, was right there and caught it in his chest. He gave a grunt and then threw the Quaffle back to Percy. Ginny cursed softly and then turned to follow Percy.  
  
Fred and George, meanwhile, were busy hitting the bludgers at each other as hard as they possible could. One of them accidentally grazed Harry's ear. "Oi, sorry mate!" Fred shouted apologetically. "Damn!" he exclaimed as one of them hit his foot when he wasn't paying attention.  
  
"Pay attention to the match, then," George said snootily.  
  
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Fred said, with a mischievous grin.  
  
Harry and Charlie exchanged looks up in the air and returned to their desperate search for the Snitch. Charlie was on a Shooting Star, and Harry was on a Firebolt, and Harry thought absently that it probably wasn't the fairest match in the history of the game, but then again, they weren't really playing a full match, either. Harry gave a sudden cheer as Ginny managed to put a shot through Ron's defense.  
  
Charlie grinned and took off. He saw the Snitch. He had it in his sights, and if Harry would only stay distracted for one moment longer- but no. Harry saw it as well, and just before they both began to execute the dive to get the Snitch, Harry winked. 'Damn. Harry knew where the Snitch was the whole time!' Charlie thought resentfully. But the more he thought about it.suddenly he chuckled in mid-dive and pulled up. Harry's attention was diverted for just a second, but the second he looked to find the Snitch, he realized that the ground was a lot closer than it had been a moment ago, and the Snitch was nowhere in sight. Charlie watched as Harry desperately pulled up, making sure that the boy didn't hurt himself. No, he was smiling like a maniac.  
  
'Okay,' Harry thought, 'If he wants to play dirty like that, here we go.'  
  
Charlie saw Harry's face light up like it did when he saw the Snitch, and decided that the best course of action would be to follow Harry and hope to cut him off. Suddenly Harry began a terrific, almost vertical dive. Straight down. Charlie grimaced, set his teeth and then took off. 'Charlie, old boy,' he thought to himself as the ground got closer and closer, 'You're too old for this sort of thing. Who am I kidding? I love this.' The ground was just inches away, and he realized what Harry was up to. 'The Wronski Feint. Brilliant. Bloody brilliant.'  
  
Harry watched as Charlie pulled his broom horizontal and ran it inches from the ground, so that his knees almost drug in the dirt. 'There is a reason,' Harry reflected as he resumed searching for the Snitch, 'Why they say Charlie Weasley was one of the best Seekers Gryffindor has ever seen.'  
  
The game went on for quite some time. Eventually everyone else was tired and hungry, but Charlie and Harry were zoned, intent on battling it out until one of them found and caught the Golden Snitch. Fred and George had given up on killing each other and were pointing out every time they saw a golden flash.  
  
"There it is, right over there! Come on, Charlie, I'm hungry," George whined.  
  
"Harry! To your left, mate. Faster, faster! Darn." Fred's face was genuinely crestfallen when Harry shook his head no.  
  
"I thought Oliver Wood was bad when it came to Quidditch," George murmured, "But this beats all. They're obsessed."  
  
"Come on, let's take a break and watch for a moment," suggested Percy. "This isn't a sight you get to see every day."  
  
"I just thought of something," Fred said. "Oh, I'm an idiot! Why, dear brother o'mine, didn't we think of this earlier?"  
  
"Perhaps if you told the rest of us what you are thinking of, we would be able to tell you why," Ginny snapped.  
  
"Tickets. We should have sold tickets! Can you imagine how many people would have paid money to come see the two best Seekers in all of Gryffindor's recent history battle it out on the Quidditch pitch. We'd be rich!"  
  
"Look! They see the Snitch!" Ron shouted.  
  
Arthur, who had just returned home from work, ran outside to see what all the commotion was about. "Bloody 'ell," he whispered. Unfortunately, Molly heard him.  
  
"Arthur Weasley! What on earth." She gasped. "My goodness! Minerva! Come see this!"  
  
Professor McGonagall ran out from the kitchen. "Well, I'll be. I can finally route for both teams. GO GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Harry and Charlie caught up in a steep dive, heading for the Snitch, which was flittering about some of Molly's rose bushes.  
  
"Mum, aren't those the rose bushes that bite?" Ginny asked innocently.  
  
"I-I think they are."  
  
Fred and George whooped.  
  
"Stay on your brooms!" Bill shouted.  
  
"Watch out, Harry!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
Ginny gave an amused chuckle and covered her eyes.  
  
The prefect in Percy took over and he yelled, "Be careful!"  
  
There was a very large "CRASH" and when Ginny looked up from her hands, she saw that both boys and landed in the biting rose bushes.  
  
"Oh my," Molly stammered and ran to see if they were all right.  
  
"Who's got the Snitch?" Ron asked. "Whose got the Snitch?"  
  
"I don't know, I can't see," George said.  
  
"Well, WHO'S GOT THE SNITCH?" Percy yelled. Once again, he surprised everyone.  
  
Ginny personally thought that the break-up with Penelope had taught him to loosen up a little. Even the uptight Ravenclaw couldn't stand to be around someone who was as tightly wound and controlled as Percy tended to be. It was nice to see him relax a bit, even if he was doing to get Penelope back. Ginny just shook her head at him.  
  
"I've got it," Harry mumbled from underneath of Mrs. Weasley's arm.  
  
"Only," Charlie said from the other arm, "Because you've got a ruddy Firebolt."  
  
"One of these days, we'll do it on the same broom, and I assure you, Mr. Weasley, I will still win," even as he said this, Harry was grinning like mad.  
  
"You're on. It would be great fun."  
  
"Spectacular," Professor McGonagall said. "I don't believe I've ever seen anything quite like it. I'm certainly proud to be a Gryffindor. I shall have to write Albus. Gryffindor had a very sad loosing streak under him. I, of course, have had my ups and downs, but really. Charlie Weasley and Harry Potter. Who, I wonder, can ever say they were head of house over two such talents besides me? I mean, we really have some brilliant students and all that, but."  
  
"I think it will certainly cheer Professor Dumbledore up to hear every detail," Mrs. Weasley said.  
  
"Certainly," said Professor McGonagall, who went off with sort of a sadistic glee to write Professor Dumbledore a letter.  
  
Fred and George looked at each other in surprise. They hadn't known about this friendly rivalry before this, and apparently, neither did anyone except Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Really," said Mrs. Weasley, "I can't believe they're still going with that. Still," she said chuckling, "I guess we all have ways of preserving our sanity, huh?"  
  
Harry and Ron glanced at each other. Ron rolled his eyes but Harry laughed, his cheeks still glowing red from the compliment she had paid him. Charlie was apparently having the same trouble.  
  
"I wonder," Ron mused, "If she's going to be this nice next term."  
  
"I don't know, and I don't really care. The only thing I know is," and here Ginny smiled triumphantly and ran towards the door, "I get the bathroom first!"  
  
As Ginny lay soaking in the tub, a random thought entered her head. July 31st, Harry's birthday, was two weeks away. Normally, Harry didn't like to have a huge fuss made over him.he had enough of that every day, but Ginny had a feeling that Harry wouldn't mind if she planned a surprise party.  
  
Hermione had explained the concept to her ages ago, for her Muggle Studies class. A party without Harry knowing about it. The more she thought about it, the better it sounded. That way, he didn't have a chance to protest, or insist it was too dangerous.  
  
Jumping out of the tub and drying herself quickly, she dressed in her pajamas: a green "Norwegian Ridgeback Taming Crew" t- shirt (an old one of Charlie's, obviously), and a pair of tartan boxers. Someone had left the boxers at the Burrow last summer. Ginny had found them and liked them, so naturally she kept them.  
  
She ran down the stairs past the living room, where Ron and Harry were making a castle out of a deck of Exploding Snap cards. Waving to everyone in the kitchen, she ran to her room and shut her door. In the corner of her room sat her desk, which was Ginny's ultimate destination. She had to find just the right quill for the important job it was about to do. She popped open her trunk and carefully she selected her favorite quill. Ron had let her borrow it in her second year when she had lost all of hers, and she had yet to return it.  
  
'First things first,' she thought. 'Hermione.' She needed to get a hold of her best friend to ask her about decorations and the guest list and all sorts of things. With a very happy hum she scratched out a greeting to Hermione and began plotting. If she could only remember where on Earth Hermione was vacationing this year.  
  
Hermione herself was very surprised when she saw little Pig flapping his way desperately towards her while she was sunbathing on the coast of France. This was her second summer to take a holiday here, but both her parents and Hermione loved it.  
  
"Who could this possibly be from? Has Ron finally decided to write me, then, or is he still up in arms about that boy I mentioned in my last letter?" She mused aloud. "Ginny!" With more energy than was absolutely necessary, she tore open the seal and began to read.  
  
Hermione,  
  
I wish, for the life of me, that I could remember just where it was you are taking your holiday this year. Ron is decidedly closed mouthed about it. I wonder what he was done to deserve your wrath. (Or perhaps it was the other way around.) What I'm trying to say is I hope Pig finds you well, wherever you are.  
  
I have a favor to ask you. You do remember that it is Harry's birthday in two weeks, right? Of course you do. You're one of his best friends. Well, I was wondering if perhaps we should throw a surprise birthday party. You know he doesn't like any sort of fuss over his birthday, but he really does deserve something special. Just a few of his friends, all right, his closest friends. Owl me back.  
  
  
  
Ginny  
  
Hermione ran back to her hotel room to pen her answer.  
  
"Honey? What are you doing? What did you have to eat down at the beach? Was it something sugary? Perhaps you should brush your teeth."  
  
"No Mum, it's okay. One of my friends from school owled me. I really should reply right away. I know it's in here somewhere." She had stuck her head into her trunk, rummaging around for something. "I knew I should have paid more attention when I packed. Ah! Here it is."  
  
"What were you doing when you were supposed to be packing, my dear?"  
  
"I was in the hospital wing." Hermione had been uncharacteristically short about her year at Hogwarts this summer and it was really starting to worry her parents.  
  
"Were you injured? We never got an owl."  
  
"No Mum. Harry was."  
  
"Is there something you need to talk about?"  
  
Hermione just shook her head. "Someday."  
  
"Well, I'll just leave you alone then."  
  
Hermione really hated to hurt her parents, but she just couldn't bring herself to remember, to tell anyone who couldn't possibly understand what she and the rest of Hogwarts had gone through last year.  
  
Ginny,  
  
That's a brilliant idea. However, you're going to have to be in charge as I'm on holiday in South France. I will be there for the party though, as long as it's the 31st. See you then. Oh, be sure to invite Remus and Sirius.  
  
Hermione  
  
P.S. Don't you DARE not show up to this party. If you arrange it, you get to come, regardless of how "close" you are to Harry.  
  
Hermione sighed. Harry Potter was going to have an unique birthday, that was for sure. 


	4. A Cordial Invitation

For my own Daddy, whose constant love and support make me feel very grown-up when I need it, and very much like a child when I need to be reminded that I still am one in his eyes. 

Chapter Three

Ginny frowned slightly over Hermione's reply. She knew all about Sirius, of course. Now that he had been pardoned, Ron had taken her aside and told her the whole story. But how to get a hold of Sirius? She bit her lip and thought for a moment. "I'll just have to owl Remus and have him get in touch," she murmured quietly.

"What's this all about?" someone asked over Ginny's shoulder. She turned quickly, and was relieved to see it was her father and not Harry.

"It's nothing Dad, I'm just sort of planning a bit of a surprise for Harry on his birthday." 

"A surprise? What sort of a surprise?" Arthur asked, crinkling his eyebrows.

Ginny grinned mischievously. "A surprise birthday party, of course. Just for the people closest to him. I owled Hermione to ask her opinion, and she thought it was wonderful. I was going to ask Mum when you walked in."

Arthur wasn't an idiot, as one could not have seven children and not learn anything. "What you meant is, you just remembered to ask your mother when I walked in."

Ginny's smile grew wider, and she suddenly burst into laughter. "True enough." Suddenly she jumped up and ran across the room to hug her father.

Arthur gave a slight 'oof' when he felt the impact of his teenage daughter against his chest, but he folded his arms around her and patted her back reassuringly. "What was that for?"

"I missed you," she whispered.

Arthur knew that he had been gone quite a bit on Ministry business, but he didn't know how much it was affecting his youngest child and his only daughter. He kissed the top of her head and smiled. Whenever he found himself wishing that Ginny would never grow up, he thought of moments like these and realized that she probably never would, in his eyes. "I missed you too, Little One." 

Ginny smiled a bit at that nickname. Her father and her two eldest brothers were the only ones who could get away with calling her that, mostly because they said it so differently than the rest of them. "Little One" didn't refer to her age, but actually her size. While the rest of her brothers towered over her mother, she was still shorter than her. For the longest time, she was fearful she would never her mother's ear, the standard that she had set for herself when she was very young. Petite as she was, everyone had taken to calling her "Little One" and making jokes about not breaking her.

"How about I ask your mother for you? It might go over better," Arthur suggested calmly, without realizing that he had probably fallen into one of Ginny's traps.

"Thanks, Daddy!"

'But,' Arthur reflected as Ginny rose on her very tiptoes to give him the slightest of pecks on the cheek, 'It is all worth it.'

After Arthur left, Ginny smiled a bit and sat back down to write out her letter to Remus.

_Professor Lupin,_

_Hello, I'm not quite sure that you'll remember who I am…_

When she was finally finished with her invitation which she had addressed to both Sirius and Remus, she stood up to try and find Ron to ask if she could borrow Pig. However, there was a flap of wings, and very suddenly Ginny found herself face to face with Hedwig.

"How about I give this to you and let you take care of it?" she asked the owl carefully. Hedwig gave a happy hoot and opened her beak expectantly. "Harry's lucky to have such a beautiful and loyal owl," she whispered to Hedwig when the owl was about to take off. After all, Charlie had always said that complimenting these magical creatures even when you assumed they couldn't understand you was a good idea. You could never tell with owls.  

"Moony! Wake up you old git! Harry's sent us a letter!" Blinking at Sirius through sleep rimmed eyes; Remus fought both the urge to laugh and the urge to strangle his old friend.

 "Couldn't have waited until a decent hour?" he nearly whined, "I mean," here he paused to look at the clock on the wall. "Bloody hell, Padfoot! It's four in the morning!"

Sirius grinned. "I know."

Remus opened his mouth and closed it several times. "You _knew_ it was four o'clock _in the morning_ and yet you still woke me up? When, and seriously consider this Sirius, was I ever a morning person?"

"Harry sent us a letter, mate! I was going to wake you up at two when Hedwig came knocking on the kitchen window, wanting to get some water, I suppose. She looked like she had flown all the way over as fast as she possibly could. It would be easier if he could just stay with us…"

Rolling his eyes and sighing, Remus threw his legs over the edge of his bed and gave a hoarse laugh. "It's not safe, Sirius. How many times have we gone over that?"

Despite the fact that it had been years since either of them had attended Hogwarts, sometimes Remus felt like Sirius was still there, mentally. Yet, at other times, he could seem ancient beyond his years… At least he could say that their friendship hadn't changed all that much. Remus was still there to make sure Sirius didn't do anything too insane, and Sirius was there to make sure Remus didn't go insane. Sometimes Remus wondered how he had gotten through so many full moons without the reassuring presence of Padfoot.

"Oh, I'd say about a half dozen or so. Well, open it up and read it."

"Excuse me, but last time I checked you could still _read_, Padfoot. Do it yourself. Tell me what it says in the morning."

"It is the morning, and besides, you're up now. You won't be able to go back to sleep."

Mentally Remus cursed himself for having a friend that knew him too well. "Just open it. I'm sure he's fine. If he's with the Weasleys, he can't have gotten in too much trouble."

"What if it's not from him?" 

Sirius was really grabbing at straws, here, and there was nothing Moony could do but nod his head. "Fine, I'll read the blasted letter. After all, I'm up. What else is there to do at four in the morning?"

He flipped on the light and reached for the pocketknife he kept on his nightstand. Slitting open the seal, he scanned over it. "Well, it's not from Harry."

Sirius let out a muffled curse. "I knew it! I knew he would get into trouble…!"

"It's something equally as good." Remus grinned mischievously, and any observer who had not known Remus for a great length of time would have been shocked at it's intensity. But Sirius, who had known his fellow Marauder for years, knew that Moony was just trying to rile him up.

"Oh?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows, trying to irritate Remus just as much as Remus was annoying Sirius by not giving him the reaction that he desired.

"It's a letter from Ginny Weasley." Now Sirius was starting to get worked up, Remus noticed with amusement.

"Ginny Weasley? Has Harry got a girlfriend and not told me about it? Throw back to his father, that one is. Do you remember how long it took James to tell us that Lily and he were going out?"

"I suspect," Remus noted dryly, "That if you hadn't made flashing green neon signs and posted them all over the Gryffindor Common Room that James liked her, we would have found out much sooner."

"Surely that didn't irritate him as much as he said it did, right?" Remus just shook his head. "Well, he certainly wasn't going to tell her any time soon. They both needed a bit of a shove in the right direction, if you know what I mean."

"That was rather a hard shove, Sirius."

"But it was damn funny." 

Remus laughed and nodded his head. "That it was, Sirius. That it was."

"Well, are you going to tell me what the blasted letter says or not? If Harry's got a girlfriend and he's writing to you about it, not me, I'll understand, but I really do want to know all the gory details."

"Gory details?" 

"You know what I mean."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Suppose, for a moment, that Harry did write me about a girlfriend, _in confidence_. What am I supposed to do then?"

"Write him back, tell him that everything is of course top secret, sign the letter, and then tell me all the gory details."

"One thing I've always appreciated about you is your respect for privacy, Sirius."

"Well, thank you. Not that I can say the same for you, old friend. After all, it was you that told Suzy McGins that I liked her in third year."

"No, Sirius. We've had this conversation before. That was Prongs, not me." Sirius's eyebrow twitched.

"Fine then. What does it say?" 

"It's an invitation."

"To a wedding? Already? Don't you think they're moving a bit fast…" 

Remus wasn't sure whether Sirius was joking or not, but one thing was for certain. Either a) Sirius had had a wee bit much to drink the night before, or b) it really was too early in the morning.

"No, Padfoot. To a birthday party." When Sirius's eyes didn't give any hint of recognition, Moony sighed. "On the thirty-first."

"That's ages away!"

"Make that one and a half weeks." 

Now it was Sirius's eyes turn to twitch. "Moony! I just realized something!"

"What is it, Sirius?"

"I haven't got him a gift yet!" 

Remus rolled his eyes. "Ginny Weasley," he murmured, ignoring Sirius for a moment. "She actually wondered if I remembered her or not. How could I not remember her?"

"What's she like? What is she to Harry?" Sirius asked impatiently.

Remus sighed in response. "Well, she's probably grown up a bit since I saw her last. She's a Weasley to the core. Bright fiery red hair and a temper to match, all though she seems to be shy at first, she really doesn't have any qualms about speaking her mind. Except for when it comes to Mr. Harry Potter, of course." 

"Oh?" Again Sirius raised his eyebrows and pretended not to care. 

"I imagine it will be interesting to see what happens this year between them. Despite what you think about the prophecy, Sirius, I don't think it's anything to be taken lightly. Every time I think of those two I'm reminded of two things: James and Lily, and the prophecy."

"The prophecy is rubbish. There's no such thing as fate. James was a fool to believe it."

It was Remus's turn to raise his eyebrows. "James was a fool to believe it? When was James ever a fool? Never, except for when it came to Lily Evans, and that was quite understandable."

"If he wouldn't have believed in the prophecy he wouldn't have been so scared, and maybe they would have gotten together quicker."

"What would have helped in what way? I would have considered him heartless if he wasn't afraid."

Sirius shook his head violently. "You expect me to just waltz up to Harry and say, 'Listen mate, we've got to talk about something. You see there's a prophecy about the Potters and their red headed counterparts that I think you should know about…'"

Remus chuckled. "No, I'm sure that you could come up with a more eloquent way to put it."

"The boy's got enough on his mind without having to worry about the prophecy. What with those awful Dursleys, and Voldemort, and life in general, the last thing he needs right now is to know about an old folk tale."

"You would deny him the knowledge of what he is? The son of James would never forgive you. Knowledge is power. There is no way he can protect himself if he doesn't know. You and I, on the other hand, have known for a very long time what our role was going to be in the grand scheme of things, and we've come to terms with that. Harry needs a chance to confront his destiny, his life, and quite possibly his love, before Voldemort strikes again. You know he will."

"Why this sudden insistence that we tell him, Moony? You could have told him his third year what was going on."

"James didn't know until his sixth year, and he had a hard enough time dealing with it then. Did you honestly thing I was going to throw something like that at a thirteen year old kid?"

"Do you honestly think I would throw something like that at a sixteen year old kid?" 

"A sixteen year old young man, Sirius, and somehow I think that Harry will be able to cope with this a lot better than he would have as a thirteen year old."

"Tell me more about Ginny Weasley," changing the subject quickly to avoid something he didn't want to talk about was something Sirius had always been good at, Remus reflected.

"She wants us there for lunch. Eleven thirty, I believe she said."

Ginny forced herself to relax. It was only ten thirty. Sirius and Remus weren't even going to be at the Burrow for at least another hour. Until then, Ron and Hermione were on "Keep Harry Occupied" duty, while Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and Prof. McGonagall were decorating. Mentally, Ginny ran through a list of people, locations and things that still needed to be done. Bill and Charlie were at their respective places of work until the noon hour; Fred and George were cooking up a special birthday present for Harry, and Mr. Weasley was wrapping things up at the Ministry. Everything was falling into place.

Telling her brothers about the party without Harry finding out had been the hardest thing about the whole mess. She had had to tell Bill and Charlie separate from George and Fred, and Percy separately from the four of them. Consequently, everyone had found out at different times, making it much more difficult to contain the secret.

Fred and George had positively grinned and ran off to their room as quickly as their four legs could carry them, intent on making something extra special for the party. Ginny shuddered to think what they could possibly have up their sleeves.

10:45 – Forty-five minutes until Remus and Sirius were do. They were the guests of honor, of course, as Harry rarely got to see them. Remus had sent Ginny back a formal letter of acceptance, which made Ginny feel very adult indeed. She could remember her favorite part now by heart: _"My dear Ginny, I'm not quite sure how you could think anyone would forget you. I assure you, quite the opposite is true."_ Still a Professor under all of his insentience that he wasn't. Once a Professor, always a Professor. Remus Lupin had been the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher she had ever had, and he never failed to make everyone think they were special; if not for their skills in the classroom, then for their personality. Now that Ron had explained to her Remus's condition, she understood why. She was especially looking forward to seeing Harry with his godfather. Nothing made her happier than seeing Harry happy.

"What are you thinking about over there, Ginny? You seem to be in another world," it was Professor McGonagall speaking, who had really seemed to have taken a liking to the youngest Weasley over the summer.

"I was praying that everything turns out all right. Counting down the minutes until, well, you know."

"Yes, I know." Minerva had the slightest of smiles on her face, Molly noticed, which was a very good thing. It was always her opinion that the uptight Professor needed to learn to relax a little.

"You have about a half an hour, dear. Do you want to take a shower and change?" Molly asked, sharing a private glance with Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, thanks for telling me, Mum. I'll be right back."

Molly sighed fondly as Ginny ran off towards the bathroom. "She does enjoy her showers."

"Reminds me of a few ladies I used to know," McGonagall said. Molly laughed and the two of them exchanged Hogwarts stories for a while.

Twenty-five minutes later, Ginny dashed back down the stairs. She had quickly pulled her hair into two plaits and put on her Hogwarts robes. Hermione had promised to buy her a new one for her birthday, but that wasn't until November, and Ginny was reluctant to accept anything that extravagant as a present.

Ginny was scurrying around, making sure everything was in place before she allowed herself the real pleasure of birthday parties. Once she was in the kitchen, she shooed Molly and Minerva out the door, but not before she called out, "You didn't touch it, did you Mum?"

"No! I just put the charm on the tools for you."

"Thanks!" Whistling to herself happily, Ginny pulled out the chocolate cake she had been secretly slaving over. 

A look of intense concentration appeared on her face as she began to direct the tools. A base layer of icing was applied, and then the real fun could begin.

Just as soon as she had finished her masterpiece, the doorbell rang. Ginny quickly stuffed the cake into the cold oven and ran to answer it. She smoothed her hair and took a deep breath.

Sure enough, two men in wizarding robes stood on the front porch of the Burrow. One had a silly grin on his face and was tapping his foot impatiently. Ginny didn't know that one, so she thought that he must be Sirius Black. The other was a familiar face, although her former Professor looked sicker than she would have hoped.

"Professor Lupin! Thanks for coming. Come in and sit down. Harry will be ecstatic when he sees you two."

Remus shrugged. "It's Sirius who's been really itching to see him. I had a hard time holding him back this morning. Would you believe he wanted to leave at seven?" 

Ginny felt a smile tugging at her lips. "Somehow, I think I can. Ron and Hermione are supposed to come up with a brilliant reason to get Harry off of his Firebolt in about five minutes if you want to wait and surprise him here, or you can find him in the back yard…" At the last of her statement, Sirius stood up in a hurry, and with a grin of mischief changed quickly into his Snuffles form. He was out the back door before Remus could stop him.

"Sorry about that. He's always been like this."

"Always?" Ginny giggled, which surprised her a little bit. She hadn't giggled in ages. But she did have the feeling that this going to be brilliant fun.

"Always. At least, ever since I can remember."

"It must have made Hogwarts more interesting," Ginny said, and grinned.

"Yes well, James and I were always there to keep him in check." Now he had spiked Ginny's interest.

"What was James like? For that matter, what was Lily like?" Remus laughed and held his hands up in protest.

"Slow down. I'd love to answer your questions, but perhaps we should wait until Harry comes inside."

Ginny blushed slightly and nodded her head.

"I assure you, no one will make fun of you for wanting to know. Perhaps you could ask your brother Bill. He knows more than he lets on." 

"I get that feeling sometimes. Hey, let's go see if Sirius has found Harry yet."

Padfoot was busy. He knew he was supposed smelling where Sirius Black's godson was, but this bush was verrrry interesting. Inside of Padfoot's mind, Sirius was getting annoyed. _'Come on now Padfoot. Let's find Harry.'_ The big black dog shrugged his shoulders gently and resumed sniffing.

Meanwhile, on the makeshift Quidditch pitch, Harry was concentrating very hard on catching the golf balls Ron was throwing for him. Concentrating so hard, in fact, that he didn't see the large black dog that had finally found him.

Watching in amusement as Harry dove fanatically toward the ground at breakneck speeds, Padfoot pawed the ground impatiently. Watching Harry fly was like watching James fly again, and as pleasant as that was, Sirius really needed to see his godson. Finally, he lost patience and barked. 

Harry looked over, startled. "SIRIUS!" With reckless abandon, he made his broomstick dive towards the ground and dismounted in the nick of time. 

With a quick bark, Sirius transformed, and the two embraced fondly. "How are you?"

"Brilliant, as of just now. Nobody told me you were coming," Harry's face was glowing, and Sirius couldn't help but grin back. The older Harry got, the more he seemed to remind Sirius of James.

"Yes, well, I was told it was a surprise. There are some more people inside the house to see you."

"Remus?" Harry asked hopefully.

"You couldn't keep Moony away with a ten foot pole." Harry jumped in the air and let out a yell. 

A surprised laugh made Harry looked around quickly. "Well, I'm glad you're glad to see me," Remus said. 

Harry felt that if his grin got any wider, it would split his face. Suddenly, there was a shy voice from behind him. "Happy birthday, Harry."

"Ginny? Wow! This is amazing. This is the best! It's brilliant!" 

Ginny couldn't believe how happy Harry was. Seeing Ron and Hermione had made him happy, yes, but he rarely ever got to see his father's old friends, because of the war, and she knew he worried about them constantly. Still, she coached herself sternly. _'Do not blush. Tell him 'thank you', very politely of course, but DO NOT embarrass yourself.'_

"Thank you, Harry. Hermione and I thought you might like it." _'You see now? That wasn't so hard…"_

"Hermione was in on this, too? And Ron?" Hermione and Ron walked up slowly, and Harry noted with amusement that Ron had his arm possessively around Hermione's waist.

"It was Ginny's idea. But we all wanted to see you happy," Hermione said. "I confess, I wasn't much help, but she owled me right away with an invitation."

"That's Ginny, for you. She doesn't waste time," Fred said, appearing from the house. "Why don't you all come inside? I think Mum's finished making lunch."

"You should have _seen_ the invitation she sent me, Harry," Ron said excitedly, "Can you believe it? I'm your bloody _best friend_ and I got an invitation. It was amazing, though. There was a picture of a Seeker that kept chasing after the Snitch…."

Whilst Ron was talking, a folded piece of pair appeared in the air in front of Harry with a _pop!_ Bemused, he reached out and grabbed it. As soon as he did, words began to appear.

Mr. Harry Potter- 

            _You are cordially invited to your sixteenth birthday party. Lots of fun Fred and George style, with special guests The Marauders. _

            Mr. Moony is of the opinion that it won't be a party without Mr. Prongs, Jr….

            Mr. Padfoot agrees wholeheartedly, and would like to inform the Weasley twins that Mssrs. Padfoot and Moony have cleaned out Zonkos, and have a few tricks up their sleeves. Perhaps the young ones ought not to be so cocky…

            _Ms. Ginny would like to say that if Remus and Sirius do not leave her invitation alone, she will personally hex them into next year._

_            R.S.V.P. in five seconds, if you please…_         

                                                                                                                                                _Your hostess_

                                                                                                                                                Virginia Weasley 

"I'd love to come!" Harry shouted, and Ginny tilted her head back and laughed.

Quick Author's Note: Many thanks and much love to all of you reviewers! At the end of the story, or perhaps the first part, I will take the time to acknowledge you all individually, but I wanted to tell you now that it is your appreciation that keeps me going, some days.

Next chapter:  The disturbing similarities between Harry/Ginny and James/Lily are explained…The prophecy is told… but before I have to write all that serious stuff: Harry's birthday party! 


	5. A Jolly Good Fellow

_For my dear twin sister, CelticStar. I hope our ears always remain lined up. It makes life so much easier. _

Hogwarts, 1977 (Marauders' 6th year)

James, Sirius, and Remus all crept slowly up the third corridor stairs under the Invisibility Cloak with two dungbombs and a small invention of Sirius's that screamed shrilly when stepped upon. The plan was this: to distract Filch long enough that Peter could recover the Marauder's Map from the groundskeeper.

_"Why in bloody hell did we trust Peter to get the map?" Sirius asked for the umpteenth time that evening._

_"We told you, Padfoot. Because he was the one who lost the map…" here Remus sighed. "Again." _

_"The real reason is because last time you went into Filch's office you couldn't help setting off a few of our more… shall we say dangerous, items," James Potter said, with a mischievous glint in his eyes._

_"That wasn't my fault.. OUCH!" Sirius bit his tongue. "Damn it, Prongs, you stepped on my foot!"_

_"It was entirely your fault, and I'm sure Prongs didn't mean it personally," Remus Lupin said gleefully._

_"What are so gosh darned happy about?" Sirius asked irritably._

_"Nothing at all." Remus was ridiculously tempted to whistle, but decided that, as they were trying, for once, not to get caught, it would probably be a bad idea._

_"Do you hear that, Mrs. Norris? There are students out of bed… I wonder who they are?" Filch's crackly voice projected over the banister of the staircase._

_"Run!" Sirius whispered frantically. _

_All three of them took off at an alarming pace. They probably made more noise than if they had just simply walked back to the Tower, but as Sirius always said whenever a girl or his parents asked him why he did things, "It's all for the thrill of it." _

_Without any further mishap, they made it back to Gryffindor Tower in one piece, safe and sound. That is, until James saw who was sitting on the couch in the Common Room, looking slightly irritated._

_"Padfoot, trouble at two o'clock!"_

_"What are you talking about Jamesie-boy? It's twelve-o-three in the morning. Nowhere near two o'clock yet." _

_Remus sighed. "It's an expression, Padfoot."_

_Sirius looked indignant. "I knew that." Huffing once, he added, "I was just trying to be funny."_

_"Well, are you going to tell us what's what, or just leave us hanging here outside of the portrait hole?" Remus demanded._

_"It's Lily."_

_"**The Lily? Lily Evans? Girlfriend to James Potter for…" Sirius made a show of checking his watch. "Three months, fourteen days, and six hours?  
  
**_

_"Sirius, you're not helping."_

_"Of course I'm not. I don't see what the big deal is, and frankly, if we stand out here much longer, NOT ONLY are my feet going to freeze, Filch is likely to wander by any second."_

_"Then wear shoes." _

_"Moony, Padfoot! Be serious!"_

_"Be a man, Potter. Walk in, give her a kiss on the cheek and say good night." For that, Sirius received a glare. "Or not…"_

_"She doesn't know about the Invisibility Cloak!"_

_"She doesn't have to know. We can all sneak by her," Remus suggested._

_"That's going to be… hard," James said with a sigh._

*****

The Burrow, Present Day

"You can't be serious!"

"We've tried that already, it simply can't be done."

"That's because you didn't know where to look. Of course, now that you're out of school, we can tell you all about it. You remember that passageway from McGonagall's office to the library, correct?"

Harry's party was in full swing, and Ginny was sitting back and enjoying every minute of it. Sirius and Remus had been entertaining everyone for a few minutes with a story about the time the Marauders had set fire accidentally to a tapestry in the Great Hall which was supposed to be fire-proof.

"We were young and stupid. Only second years. If we had just waited a bit longer… oh, think of the possibilities! Severus' head was a pot of grease (still is, come to think of it). Grease is flammable," Sirius said with a dramatic sigh.

Remus shook his head. "We would never have done it, Sirius. We _tried very hard to keep our pranks from being dangerous to the prankees. And James would have thrown a fit."_

"Dad?" asked Harry.

"Yes. He had what the rest of us liked to term a nobility complex." Ron snorted.

"I guess the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree, aye?" For that comment, he received double glares. One from Harry, and one from Ginny.

"Lily was furious, of course," Sirius said and sighed. "Your father, Harry, was whipped."

"Tied around her little finger, he was," Remus agreed. "Not that it was a bad thing."

"Mum tried to keep you all out of trouble?"

"No, I suspect…" Remus's eyes did a favorable impersonation of Dumbledore's. "That she was more angry at us for not inviting her to go along." When Sirius rolled his eyes, Remus narrowed his. "Perhaps, if she'd gone along, we wouldn't have ended up…"

"I'm sure Harry has had enough of our reminiscing for one evening," Sirius cut him off sharply.

"I suppose…" Remus gave a tragic sigh. "that some things are better left unsaid. I can't believe you're still sore over that, though."

"You weren't the one that had to owl your mum to send you more pairs of trousers due to the 'unfortunate incidents' that caused them to… well." Sirius blushed a little.

Ginny, who was situated on Bill's lap (there wasn't enough floor space or seating to fit everyone), snorted a little at that comment. 

"How about some cake?" she asked to fill the uncomfortable silence that filled the room.

"I'd love some," Mrs. Weasley said. "I can't wait to taste what you've concocted this time."

"Ginny makes the BEST birthday cakes in the whole UK," Ron said proudly. 

"Or Egypt," Bill added.

"Romania as well," Charlie said and dropped a quick kiss on his sister's cheek as he went to help his mother. It was Ginny's turn to blush, and she did so in typical Weasley fashion.

_'When she blushes, it doesn't quite reach her ears,' Harry noted absently, and then frowned over that stray thought. What business had he noting how Ginny Weasley blushed? __Get a hold of yourself, Potter, he told himself firmly. _

Ginny was too busy worrying about the state of her cake to notice that Harry had his eyes locked on her, but other members of the party did, and they exchanged amused glances. 

"Here it is," Molly practically sang. 

"I'll take that from you, Molly. Wouldn't want anything to happen to it, or anything."

"You will not take this cake from me, Sirius Black, but you _will sit down and wait for your turn to get a piece. __After everyone else has had theirs." Sirius returned to his seat crestfallen, but Remus thought the whole episode was funny. _

"That's what you get, Padfoot, when…"

"Remus Lupin, you will wait your turn with him."

"Yes, ma'am."

Molly set the cake down with a flourish right in front of Harry's face. With a quick laugh, he noted the Seeker that looked remarkably like him chasing after Snitches.

"Be a shame to eat him," he said absently. "He's such a devilishly good looking fellow." Ron guffawed, and Hermione shook her head. "Well, I rather thought so."

Ginny smiled and retrieved from her pocket sixteen candles. "Here you go," she murmured as she placed them one by one in a circle around the cake. Bill muttered a word and the candles lit up.

"Go on, Harry. Make a wish," Arthur said, his arm having found its way around Molly's waist.

Harry sucked in his breath, and blew out the candles all in one go. 

"What'd you wish for?" Fred demanded impatiently.

"What else?" Harry asked as if it were obvious. When their blank looks clued him in, he grinned. "World peace, of course."

Fred and George laughed out loud, Percy shook his head, and Bill and Charlie exchanged looks. Ginny looked at him and winked, as though she were in on the secret. To appease her, and himself, he winked back. 

What was going on in Ginny's mind was a lot different than what Harry expected. She was thinking that he looked happier than he had in years. With a semi-glow about his face, and green eyes that twinkled rather than frosted over when she looked at him, he was more handsome than she had ever seen him. He was quick to exchange a joke with the twins, to discuss Quidditch with Charlie, to nod at Percy's ramblings about work, and to look over at Sirius and Remus with affection in his eyes. Yes indeed, Harry Potter had come a long way. He was still grieving, though. She could see it in his eyes when he had a moment to himself, or when someone said something without thinking about what they were saying.

This was the true power of Voldemort. To take someone who should have been the happiest bloke on earth, with two parents that thought the world of him, would have hung the moon for him, and to try and remove all the happiness from his life. And he had damned near succeeded. He wouldn't get to Harry in that way, as long as she was around, Ginny decided. 

After a rousing chorus of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" which reminded Harry painfully of the singing of the school song, Mrs. Weasley began to dish out pieces of the cake, according to behavior. Harry, being the birthday boy, received the first piece of cake, and because Ginny had baked it, she got the second. Ron made a show of being chivalrous and got Hermione's cake for her.

"I almost forgot," Ginny said, slowly, as if she didn't care. Immediately all the eyes in the room turned to her.

"What, Gin?" George demanded, his mouth full of birthday cake.

"Why, the most important part of birthdays."

Fred looked genuinely confused. "I thought we were having the best part of birthdays right now."

"I believe," Bill said, amused, "that she was talking about presents."

Ginny nodded. "I might have."

"I can't believe we forgot!" Fred shouted and slapped his forehead dramatically.

"**We didn't forget," George said, "****you did."**

"Right then," Ron said. "I'll just run up and get my present. Be back down in second."

The rest of the family made their excuses and went off to retrieve their presents, except for Ginny, Harry, Remus and Sirius. Making a jump for the nearest available seat so she wouldn't have to sit on Bill's lap again, Ginny landed next to Harry with a thump. Harry chuckled a bit, and the two of them started in on a conversation about the dangerousness of Fred and George's birthday gifts. She began to tell a story of the time they had given her a teddy bear that tap-danced all night. Quite literally.

Remus and Sirius just sat back and watched. Most of the time, remembering was painful for them. When they saw Harry and Ginny together, though, it wasn't quite as painful.

 "So often I forget the good times," Remus thought to himself, "and there were so many good times. I wonder if they know how much they remind the rest of the world of James and Lily. They'd been friends first, too. I remember how James used to get when he talked about her. I wonder if Harry gets the same way. I have to do too much wondering. I shouldn't have to wonder about my best friend's son! I just wish that Sirius and I had a chance to get to know him better. Well, at least I got a chance to teach him. Sirius, now, hasn't got much of a chance to do anything, and yet, there's a bond there. I'm getting sentimental again. I have to learn to stop that."

"And so then," Ginny was saying, "I tried to stuff him in my closet, under a bunch of boxes and such, but he wouldn't stop, and he kept making these strange noises, like he was trying to lift the box, you know? Well, we finally got him to stop, but I had nightmares for weeks." Harry and Ginny burst out laughing at the absurdness of it all.

"Well, my one hope is that they don't give me something that explodes."

"That's a lofty hope, Harry. At best, they'll give you something to annoy other people with, at worst…"

Harry heaved a heavy sigh. "At worst, they'll give me something innocently life threatening."

"Can something be innocently life threatening?" Ginny wondered out loud.

"Hmm. Think of Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class." 

Ginny snorted. "I guess that's a good example."

"I thought it was," Harry said, and began to chuckle.

"What?" Ginny demanded.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about you having nightmares about… a _teddy bear!"_

"Come, now. It was a traumatizing event in my life."

"I'm sure it was," Harry managed, doubled over with laughter.

"What did _you have nightmares about as a child, then?" Ginny asked, and then immediately regretted the question. "Sorry, you don't have to answer that."_

"Why," Harry speculated, "does everyone think that I'm a fragile thing? I could very easily tell you what I had nightmares about as a child. It's when you start to get older that I start having problems."

Ginny made an apologetic noise, and Harry shook his head. 

"I had nightmares of Dudley getting very, very large and stomping me with his foot."

"Stomping you with his foot?"

"His right one." 

"You remember which foot he stomped you with?"

"Like you said, it was very traumatizing."

"Presents!" Ginny squealed as she saw her family members coming down the stairs laden with packages. She had left hers in the living room.

"Whose do you want to open first, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked gently.

"He'll open ours first," Charlie said, and Bill nodded agreement. "After all, we never know when we might get called away."

"All right, then." Harry ripped into the package furiously, and came up grinning. Inside of the box was a Swiss army knife.

"You never know when you might need it," Charlie said. "I find mine immensely useful."

"I very much doubt," Mrs. Weasley responded, "that Harry is going to be mucking about with dragons, trying to get killed."

"You never know," Bill said and arched an eyebrow. 

"Mine next," Percy said. Harry was a bit more careful with this one, and not quite so eager, but when he stuck his head up again, he was grinning from ear to ear, proudly displaying a book entitled, _"Head Boy Diaries: An entry from every Head Boy in Hogwarts, 1841 through 1991."_

"I suppose my Dad has an entry?"

"A couple," Percy responded evasively. "I can certainly say I learned a lot from them."

"Thanks, Perce."

Percy sifted uncomfortably in his seat and shrugged his shoulders. "Glad you liked it."_  _

"Me next," Hermione said happily. "Oh, I can't wait for you to see this one."

Because she was practically bouncing in her seat, a very un-Hermione like thing to do, he nodded and selected Hermione's gift. "Oh, Hermione," he said, a bit lamely. 

"Well, I knew you had so few pictures of us, and well, really, I just reckoned when you go to visit that awful aunt and uncle of yours, you'd want some more reminders."

Harry ran a hand over the leather-bound photo album in wonder and almost ignored Hermione's blabbing. "It's wonderful, Hermione."

Hermione blushed a little and nodded, then caught sight of the picture Harry was looking at and grinned. Pretty soon the three of them were laughing hysterically. 

"I didn't know you had a picture of this," Harry said between fits of laughter.

"I didn't. Colin did."

"Malfoy the Bouncing Ferret. One of the best moments of my life," Ron muttered to himself, and received an elbow in the gut from Hermione. "I said one of the best moments, not THE best moment," he whispered.

Ginny and Harry fought desperately to keep from laughing, and then caught sight of each other and couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Arthur and I have a present for you," Molly said quietly.

Harry's eyes filled, but he quickly squashed the tears.

"I hope you like it," Arthur said, and handed him a relatively small note that read, _Look on the clock._

Quickly, Harry got to his feet and ran to the kitchen, and stopped abruptly when he saw the clock. A new bright green hand with his name on it read "unbearably happy."

He ran back into the living room and was caught up in Molly's embrace. "Well, dear, we do think of you as one of the family," she whispered soothingly.

"Harry, mate, why don't you open mine up next?" With a brash gesture, Harry swiped his arm across his eyes and nodded at Ron.

He could only grin when he saw what Ron had given him. Sixteen boxes of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans. 

"Ah, a man after my own heart," he heard Sirius mumble.

"Our present next," Fred and George said in unison.

"It's not going to explode, is it?" Harry asked, slightly worried.

"No, no, of course not." George said.

"It's perfectly safe." Fred said.

"For you," George added.

"Yes, indeed. Perfectly safe for you to use."

"Wisely, of course."

"When has Harry ever not used something wisely? Doesn't have a mischievous bone in his body," Fred said sarcastically. 

"Never gets into any trouble, does our Harry," George agreed, perfectly innocent.

Harry took the insanely wrapped gift cautiously, and then thought he ought to ask again, just to be sure. "Perfectly safe?"

"Perfectly."

"Without a doubt."

Inside was a brightly colored book entitled, _"Gred and Forge's Guide to Everything You Ever Needed to Know to Get Yourself Into More Trouble Than is Absolutely Necessary, Part the First." _

Randomly, Harry opened a page and raised his eyebrows. Fred and George just winked at him and indicated that Molly was, miraculously, distracted for the moment. Or maybe not so miraculously… _"You have to admit that Fred and George have style," Harry thought._

"We're working on shortening the title," Fred said, a bit concerned.

"But we thought it was entirely appropriate," George said.

"I think it's perfect," Harry said, amused. 

"Moony and I got you something," Sirius said, after the laughter had died down a bit.

"You didn't have to."

"We know," Remus said quietly, "but we wanted to."

Harry grinned a little as Sirius placed a flat box into his hands. When he opened up the box, he was confused. "What's this?"

"A Marauder's seal. Your father's actually. Well, it's the Potter family's Marauder's seal," Sirius said.

"Excuse me?"

"When we younger," Remus began, "we wanted to send letters to each other without detection, but at the same time, we wanted to know it was one of us sending the letters."

"So Moony here came up with a brilliant idea. Seals. We each had one from the time we were thirteen until, well, present day. This is James's. You should know what the JP and the antlers are for, but I'm not so sure you'd know about the ivy. It's the Potter family's symbol."

"You were going to get your own, you know," Moony said, just remembering.

"The day you were accepted into Hogwarts," Sirius agreed. "I can't believe I'd forgotten that."

"We just thought that it would be… appropriate," Moony said, a bit concerned when Harry didn't say anything.

Blindly, Harry reached for Ginny's hand, and he received it. "This is amazing, you two."

Ginny traced a hand over it. "It looks like it could be worn as a ring."

"It can," Sirius said, "but we always found it bulky. I don't think James ever wore it as a ring, except for on his wedding day."

"His wedding day?" Harry asked.

"On the fourth finger of his right hand," Moony said, laughing a little, "because we were his right hand pals."

"We all thought it was enormously funny. Lily thought it was wonderful."  

"It is," Ginny said. Harry caught her eyes with his, and they both smiled. Quite suddenly, Harry realized they were holding hands, and a blush crept up his cheek. No one seemed to notice, though, and they both relaxed their hold on each other.

Just then, an owl swept into the Weasley living room.

A/N: Yeah, I know I'm evil, but this took me forever to type, and I wanted to get this out to you as soon as possible. The plot thickens… and I hope to Goodness I can keep track of it all.


	6. In Which Harry Recieves An Owl and Remus...

_Author's Note: This chapter, without question, needs to be dedicated to a very wonderful person. She keeps me sane, bugs me about updating, listens to me moaning about writer's block, and tolerates my mood swings. She keeps me under careful control in the Café, makes sure I don't embarrass her too greatly IRL, and basically is a good friend. So, Meg, this one is for you. I'm happy to say that I know the person you've become, despite the adversity you've had to face, and I hope Harry comes out of the mortal peril I intend to place him in as well as you did. _

Tested In Fire-Chapter 5

In Which… Harry receives an owl and Remus must make a decision.

The owl stopped in front of Harry and, extending a leg, blinked regally at him. The letter that was tied to it was sealed with the Hogwarts crest, and Harry inexplicably got a bad feeling. With his hands shaking badly, he loosened the parchment and the owl took off.

"What does it say, Harry?" Ron wanted to know, but was quieted immediately with a look from Hermione. 

Ginny watched as the elated expression faded from Harry's eyes and was replaced by a look of pain so deep it broke her heart into pieces.

"Hagrid's dead." He said it calmly, seemingly without emotion, but Ginny knew that this was the final straw. If Harry didn't snap tonight… Suddenly Harry shook his head and made his way quickly to the back door. Hermione and Ron reached for each other, for the moment forgetting about Harry. That one tenth of a second was all Ginny needed, and she made for the door at lightning speed.

Standing inside of the door jam and leaning a bit, she risked, "How, Harry?"

"He was on a mission for Dumbledore, with the other giants. They got him with an Avada Kedavra, Ginny… I didn't think they could. I knew people would die, but…" 

Going on impulse alone, Ginny stepped away from the door and slipped her arms up around Harry's neck, which was quite a feat, considering how much taller Harry was, and laid her head against his chest. Still, she was surprised when Harry returned the embrace and laid his head on hers.

"He was my first real friend. He gave me my first real birthday present, I just…" Harry's voice broke on a sob. Ginny, having six brothers, knew how hard it was for him to cry in front of her. She didn't offer him assurances that everything would be okay, or whisper words of encouragement, she just held him.

"Come on, let's sit down." She led him over to a bench in the Weasleys' backyard. 

The two of them just sat, neither of them making a sound as the tears streamed silently down their faces.

After a bit, Ron and Hermione came out and joined them. Harry and Ginny didn't look up, but they sensed their presence. For once, the four of them were united. United in grief. 

"Hogwarts won't be the same," Hermione muttered. 

"I wouldn't have got to go to Hogwarts if it hadn't been for Hagrid," Harry said. 

"I wouldn't have survived my first year," Ginny murmured. 

"I would have never gone to Romania," Charlie said, coming out of the house.

"I wouldn't have worked for Gringotts," Bill said, as the rest of the family followed the outside.

"I would have made it through my seventh year a lot less bruised," Percy said.

"Detention with Hagrid."

"That brings back some memories," Fred and George said. 

"Come on inside, everyone," Molly said after a time. "I think we all need our rest."

Although Harry followed everyone inside, he simply didn't see how sleep was going to make any of the pain better. 

Ginny dreamt again that night, and this time, everything was clearer. She walked through a house that was small, charming. In her arms she held a fussing child. Walking back and forth, back and forth, she sang to her son in a low voice. With a start, Ginny realized that she was Lily Potter, and the baby she holding had to be Harry. Her dream self kept pacing the floor and singing, until something broke her rhythm. Someone was standing in the doorway!

"James," she heard herself say, "you scared me half to death."

"I'm sorry, love. Work was terrible."

"Here, take Harry. I'll pour you a drink."

"Lily, Dumbledore contacted me today. They're after us."

"They've always been after us, James." She could feel herself wishing it not to be true. "What makes this so different from all the other times?"

"No, Lily. This time they _know."_

"But we were so careful…"

"The Fidelius Charm. It's our only hope, our only option."

"I know we've talked about this before, but something just doesn't feel right, James." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I don't want to put anyone in the position where they would have to…"

"Sirius, Remus, and Peter would all be willing to do it."

"I know. Damn your Marauder loyalty! What if someone dies because of us, James?"

"No one is going to die. The charm is nearly infallible. We both know that if it were just us, I'd take the chance. But now that we have Harry, there's just too much riding on this."

"I know. I just wish things would turn out differently."

"Come here, Lils." Lily/Ginny walked over to James, and the three of them stood together. "Let me put Harry to bed."

"You don't have to…"

"You were up every night this week. Go to bed and relax. I'll be up in a minute."

A slow smile spread over her face, and Ginny got the feeling Lily knew what was going to happen. "Promise?"

"Promise." As they walked off, Lily/Ginny heard him talking to Harry. "And then Moony and Padfoot turned the pumpkin juice green, with a simple spell I'll have to show you sometime when your mum's not around and…"

"James, are you sure?" Lily asked when he walked through the doorway of their bedroom. 

"As sure as I can be without being a Death Eater."

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Come here, Lily." She crawled into his arms and sat on the bed. "I love you, so much," he whispered.

"James, what happened today?"

"The Longbottoms… They're gone, Lily."

"Dead?" She saw in his eyes that it was something even more terrible.

"Worse. They're not even in their own minds anymore. They just… sit there."

"They have a boy Harry's age, don't they?"

"Neville. He's gone to live with his grandmother."

"Oh, it's horrid. All of it! When will it stop?"

"I don't know, Lily. I just don't know."

Ginny woke up in her room exhausted. Sleep these days was more tiring than being awake, so she made her way to the kitchen for a glass of hot coca. 

She tried to make as little noise as possible as she walked across the kitchen floor, but despite her best efforts, the boards still creaked.

"Gin? What are you doing here?" 

Not surprisingly, she found herself staring into the deep green eyes of Harry Potter. It seemed that whenever she was in a potentially embarrassing situation, there he was. "I live here."

This time it was his turn to blush, and Ginny found herself liking the turnabout. "Yes, of course. What I meant was, what are you doing down here in the middle of the night?"

"Avoiding sleeping," Ginny said frankly.

"Ah. Perfectly understandable," Harry agreed. "In fact, I believe that may be what I'm doing."

"It's hard to imagine him being gone." Harry made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat. It was obvious he didn't want to talk about it, so Ginny moved on to something else. "I never did get you your birthday present, you know."

"It's all right, Gin. It was enough with you giving me the party and all, and being able to see Remus and Sirius."

"No, it's okay. I wanted to get you this."

"Gin, you really didn't have to…"

"Harry, do you ever shut up? Be quiet. I'm giving you a gift, not confessing my undying love for you. Besides, it will take both of our minds off of what's going on, all right?"

"You **are crabby when you wake up."**

"I'm not crabby. I'm… irritated. And you're just…"

"Irritating?" Harry guessed.

Unbidden, a grin washed over Ginny's face and lit up her eyes, which, he noted, were more tired than usual. "Exactly. I'll be right back."

As she ran up the stairs to get her present, Harry leaned on the counter and stared at his hot chocolate. Ginny Weasley was growing up, he noted, and she was a lot different than the blushing shy girl that had followed him around his second year. Not that he would share this latest revelation with Ron. It was almost embarrassing how the older Weasley boys were bonding together to protect their youngest and only sister from members of the opposite sex. Harry allowed himself a few moments to imagine what it would be like if he and Ginny got together, but then tossed the image out the window. It brought out too many uncomfortable feelings, and, besides which, Harry wasn't in any position to want to date any girl, much less Ginny Weasley. 

Harry shook his head, trying to dislodge the path that his thoughts were taking. Hagrid was dead, and all he could think about was Ginny Weasley.

"Here," Ginny said, as she skidded to a stop. 

"What's this?" Harry shook the box a little, and grinned when he saw Ginny's pained expression.

"Most of us open the presents before we ask what it is."

"Not me."

"Would you open it already?" Ginny made a half-hearted show of stomping her foot, but her heart was sore.

"Hmm," Harry murmured as he ripped into the paper. "Wow, Gin. This is… amazing."

In front of Harry sat a portrait of James and Lily Potter in the Gryffindor robes, smiling and waving happily. James drooped his arms around Lily's waist and occasionally Lily would turn around and they would kiss affectionately, but only when no one was looking. In the background lay a stag in a field of lilies. The moon and the stars were out, and a snowy mist was falling. The frame, too, was extraordinary. Ivy twisted itself around and around tiny wolves and dogs. Harry appreciated the symbolism, and ran a hand over it, wonderingly. 

"Well, Remus and Sirius were more than helpful. They sent me some pictures, and…"

"Did you paint this yourself?"

A slow blush crept over Ginny's face. "Yes, I did. It was a sudden inspiration, you know. Just one of those things you have to do. Charlie made me the frame after he saw the portrait. He gave me my first set of paints. This one is oil on canvas, by the way. Bill found some absolutely marvelous canvas for me while he was traveling, and he sent a whole bunch so I could paint to my heart's content." Realizing she was beginning to babble, Ginny forced herself to stop.  

"Hagrid gave me my first ever pictures of my parents," Harry said suddenly, then regretted the hasty way the words came out. He had never confided in Ginny before, and wasn't sure he was willing to start now.

"He was always thoughtful like that."

Harry just shrugged his shoulders. "Sure. You're pretty thoughtful, Ginny Weasley." Once again, Ginny found herself tongue tied and blushing.

"MOONY!" Sirius Black was yelling at an ungodly hour, again, Remus thought, and had only just managed to pull a pillow over his head when Sirius broke the door in. Remus sat up slowly and winced at the door. It would probably have to be fixed. Honestly, he was surprised it had survived this long. Doors were in serious danger whenever Padfoot was in town. 

Sirius smiled brightly when he saw that Remus was awake. "What is it this time, Padfoot?"

"You've got yourself a letter from Hogwarts."

"From Hogwarts?"

"Yes, you old git. That's what I said."

"What does Hogwarts want from me?"

Sirius shrugged. "I dunno. Why don't you open it and see?" He perched on the desk opposite of the bed and waited.

"You're going to sit there while I read this, aren't you?" 

"Yep. That was the plan."

Remus gave a tolerant sigh and slit the letter open.

_Mr. Lupin,_

_Perhaps you would consider a teaching job?_

Albus Dumbledore 

            _P.S. Perhaps Mr. Potter would enjoy a stay at your place for a while._

Remus shook his head violently and was prepared to throw the letter in the fire when Sirius stopped him. "What does it say?"

"Dumbledore thinks it'd be all right if Harry came to stay with us for a while."

"Just like that? That's sort of odd. What else was in the letter?"

"Nothing, Sirius."

Sirius's eyes narrowed to slits. "No more lies, Moony. You know the deal."

"They want me to take over Hagrid's position."

"Well, why in bloody hell not? I can't think of anywhere else I'd want to be, especially when Harry's in the kind of trouble he's in."

"Because I'm dangerous, Padfoot."

"Like hell you're dangerous. That man-eating tree you keep in the backyard is more dangerous than you are."

"It's a stump, Padfoot, and you only trip on it because you don't pay enough attention to where you're going."

"I always know exactly where I'm going."

"That's not what I was saying, what I was saying was…"

"That'd you take the job?"

"I almost _killed someone the last time I was there."_

"Damn it, Moony! I'm sick of all this. Grow up. We both know you can handle it, and besides, with me around, on the nights of the full moon, I can run around and save Harry's arse." Then Sirius made his eyes grow large. "Besides, you know you'll miss come time for you to be locked up in the Shack again."

"I have a feeling I'll spend more timing saving your arse than Harry's."

"I'm going to take that as a challenge."

"I'll owl Dumbledore and tell him that we'd be more than happy to have Harry, although I think something's not quite right."

"And?"

"And that I'll take the job."

"All right!"

With a sigh, Remus dipped his quill in the ink and began to draft a letter.

The Weasleys, as a general rule, were beginning to get worried about their houseguest. He refused to talk about his grief to anyone, except Ron and Hermione, and then only in bits and pieces. He seemed angry and withdrawn, which was a typical reaction for him.  

"I'll tell you, Arthur, it does a great deal to remind you that the boy is human," Molly said to her husband one very late night as she warmed up the meal he had missed.

"I got a letter from Dumbledore. He thinks it might help Harry to spend some time with his godfather." 

"Oh?" Molly stopped stirring the pot for a moment and rested the spoon against her generous stomach.

"Harry does think of him as a father figure," Arthur said. "Besides, we've always had a high opinion of Remus Lupin."

"I know. It's just… Will he be safe?"

"Safer than he would be here. The only place for him that's totally safe is Hogwarts, and they don't allow students to board over the summer. Staying in one place might not be a good idea."

"Safer than he would be with those horrible Muggle relations of his. I can hardly believe that Harry is related to them." 

"Our family can be just as charming. Remember your second cousin…"

"Don't remind me."

"What's going on?" Harry wanted to know as he came down the stairs.

"Dumbledore thinks it'd be all right for you to stay with your father's friends for a while," Molly said from the kitchen. Harry leaned across the counter, and for the first time in a week, a smile crossed his face.

"I'd love to go, if Ron wouldn't mind."

Coming down the stairs, Ron bumped his head on the ceiling and swore silently. "Go where?"

"To Sirius and Remus's."

"Nah. I'll see you the first of September, mate."

Harry grinned as Ron returned to his room. "I had a feeling." He paused a moment and then added under his breath, "That'd be more time with Hermione." 

Molly and Arthur glanced at each other, with a smile on their faces. The old Harry was coming back.


	7. Back To Hogwarts

This chapter is especially for Adam, with all of my love.  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Just a Quote to Get You All Started: "Patience is a virtue," Harry suddenly said, not looking up from his game. "You will find it impossible to live your entire lives where everything you want is instantly brought to you. At some point or another, you will have to sit... and wait."  
  
Ruskbyte's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"  
  
I couldn't possibly mean this chapter, could I? I mean, I only had to re- write it eleven times.. By the way, that fic comes with my highest recommendation. If you call yourself an H/G shipper, it's a must read. It's found at Gryffindor Tower.  
  
Also, I apologize for the length. This is more of a transition chapter.  
  
Tested In Fire, Chapter 6: Back to Hogwarts  
  
In the future, when Ginny Weasley reflected on the train ride to Hogwarts just before her fifth year, she would never quite know just how she got through it.  
  
Having survived Harry's absence for a week and a half before the start of term so he could visit his godfather and Remus, Ginny felt that she'd done a remarkable job so far this summer, and was just reminding herself not to make a complete idiot of herself when Harry, Hermione, and Ron entered her car.  
  
"Oy, Ginny! Can we sit with you? The rest of the cars are full," Ron said, his hand tucked firmly into Hermione's.  
  
"Of course," she said, sure that the dizziness she was feeling was due to the close proximity to Harry Potter.  
  
"Are you feeling okay, Ginny?" Hermione asked, concerned. "You look awfully pale."  
  
"I'll be all right once we get to Hogwarts, I'm sure." As she said this, she fought hard not to gag.  
  
Harry looked as though he didn't believe her, and kept stealing looks in her direction to make sure she was okay. In fact, Ginny wasn't certain. she believed herself. Ron and Hermione, who had taken the seat opposite her, kept fading in and out of focus. It felt like the world was spinning just underneath her feet, and her head was pounding.  
  
While the other three in the car discussed teachers, classes, summer holidays, Quidditch and acquaintances, Ginny fought to keep herself conscious and coherent. She heard something about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; apparently it was someone they all three knew quite well, and were looking forward to. Unable to force herself to think, she couldn't tell who it was.  
  
It wasn't until the conversation turned to her that she tried to focus on them.  
  
"You know, Gin, you don't look well," Ron observed.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione protested.  
  
"Well, she doesn't," Ron fired back.  
  
"You're not supposed to tell her that!"  
  
Ginny found herself unable to respond to any of it, as though someone were holding her tongue and filling her mouth with something liquid and decidedly unpleasant. Perhaps it was best, she decided, to keep her mouth shut.  
  
While Hermione and Ron argued, Ginny closed her eyes. After a bit, she heard a voice coaxing her.  
  
"Come on, Gin. Wake up. We're at Hogwarts."  
  
It was Harry's voice she'd heard in her mind, she was sure of it. Just as sure as she was that she had passed out. Fighting hard to wake up, she found that the more she pushed her conscious to awake, the more it resisted.  
  
"Something's not right. Quick, let's get her to the Hospital Wing."  
  
"Are you sure? Ginny's never been sick a day in her life," she heard Ron saying.  
  
"Of course he's sure. Look at her," Hermione's voice responded, and after that, cotton filled her ears like the blackness covering her eyes, and she could hear no more.  
  
** The Great Hall was filled to the brim with Hogwarts students, but Harry couldn't think about any of them. His mind kept running in circles.  
  
All of a sudden he felt anger like he'd only felt on rare occasions. Ginny Weasley was in the Hospital Wing, and no one could tell Ron or Harry what was going on. Apparently Madame Pomfrey had only seen this type of case once in her career, and felt unprepared to deal with it, so they had sent for an expert. Worst of all, there was no one here to reassure him, no one here to fix him hard rock cakes and tea.and Harry realized, very suddenly, that that was the reason he was having a hard time dealing with the current dilemma.  
  
The pain of losing Hagrid was more than the pain of a constant stomach ache, as he had heard someone describe grief before. It was as if someone was continually stabbing him in the heart with a knife, pulling the metal weapon in and out slowly so that the shock came in waves.  
  
Oftentimes he caught himself thinking that Hagrid was still around, wanting to go his hut, wanting to inquire about something, just wanting to talk to the friendly half-giant who had become so much more than Harry's friend over the years.  
  
It was Hagrid who had given him his first birthday present, Hagrid who had helped him, however inadvertently, find where the Sorcerer's Stone was being kept, Hagrid who had reassured Hermione that she was one of the most brilliant witches in the world when she was doubtful, Hagrid who had almost killed them, yet helped them solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets by leading them to the spiders, Hagrid who had. well, the list just went on and on.  
  
Harry felt a sudden urge to punch someone. something. There was no way he could get to the real murderer. He had to wait for Voldemort to make his move first, and there was something irritating in that the Dark Lord seemingly had all the power. Dumbledore, who rose out of his seat and tapped his goblet with his spoon, saved him from his violent urge.  
  
"If I could have your attention, we're ready to begin the Sorting now."  
  
As Professor McGonagall read the names out loud after the Sorting Hat's song, Harry watched the faces of the first-years that had their destiny decided for them in that moment. Some of them looked scared. Others looked hopeful, while yet another group looked confident. So many expressions, so many feelings. yet he felt like he was on the outside looking in.  
  
He clapped enthusiastically for the new Gryffindors the same as everyone else, but the feeling of looking through a snow globe didn't leave him for quite a long time. The feast began, and while he ate, he just couldn't put down the amount of food that Ron did, which worried Hermione.  
  
"Are you feeling okay, Harry? Maybe you've caught whatever it is that Ginny has. You know, I was reading in Common Magical Ailments and Cures the other day that."  
  
Ron swallowed a particularly large piece of roast and rolled his eyes. "I don't think he's sick, are you, Harry?"  
  
"No, I'm fine."  
  
Suddenly Hermione's eyes lit with understanding. She probably felt guilty for being insensitive about it, but Harry graced her with one of his now rare smiles, and she relaxed.  
  
"If you could lend me your ears once again," Dumbledore said, and the Great Hall quieted once again. "There have been some changes on the Hogwarts staff."  
  
Just then the door burst open, and two cloaked figures dashed into the Hall. Harry turned around quickly and saw that it was Remus and Sirius. He had known, of course, that Sirius was to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, but he didn't know what Remus was at the school for.  
  
"Ah, Professors. So glad you could join us." Sirius raised his head, and Harry could see that he was slightly charred and out of breath.  
  
"Sorry, Headmaster. We had a bit of a delay," Remus said, glaring slightly at Sirius. Harry bent his head to hide his laugh. Remus caught him, however, and frowned just slightly at him before his face broke into a grin.  
  
"Take your seats, Professors. As I was saying, there have been some changes on the Hogwarts staff this year. Professor Sirius Black was kindly consented to fill the Defense Against the Dark Arts position this year, and Professor Remus Lupin will be filling the position of Groundskeeper and will also be teaching Care of Magical Creatures this year, in the place of Rubeus Hagrid, whom we lost earlier this year to a Death Eater attack." After a moment of silence in Hagrid's memory, the older years in Gryffindor burst into very loud applause, and everyone else into polite clapping. Except for the Slytherins, particularly Draco Malfoy, who was making loud comments about how needing ex-convicts to teach at Hogwarts was showing the obvious decline of the quality of the school.  
  
"Another change, although somewhat unexpected, will take place in the Divination tower. Professor Trelawney is taking an extended vacation, to recover from a vision that was taxing to her health. Professor Anna Black will be taking her place indefinitely, most likely for all of this year."  
  
Unenthusiastic applause smattered around the Hall, as the students tried to look for Professor Anna Black. "I have just received word. Professor Black is attending a student. Before I dismiss you, I wanted to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is exactly that. Forbidden. I would not recommend any unescorted student trips to Hogsmeade or anywhere else this year, with or without an Invisibility Cloak." He was looking directly into Harry's eyes as he said this. "Security will, unfortunately, have to be tight this year. We must ask that you obey all school rules, no matter how ridiculous they sound. Our caretaker has asked me to remind that wandering around the school hallways will not be tolerated this year. Also, the list of banned items has been considerably upgraded this year. A copy of that list can be found in Mr. Filch's office. Good night, everyone. Prefects, you may escort the first years to their dormitories."  
  
** 


	8. On The Threshold

Author's Note: Well, here we go. I hope you don't fall of the cliff.  
  
Disclaimer: The idea of a "threshold sickness" belongs to Marian Zimmer Bradley. The rest, except for the HP, is my shining brilliance. Wait a minute. everything in here is HP! Oh drat.  
  
Tested In Fire Chapter 7: On The Threshold  
  
Ginny Weasley couldn't force herself to wake up. The haze she was fighting seemed to bear down like a dead weight on her conscious.  
  
"Virginia. Virginia Weasley. Wake up, please."  
  
The voice was calling to her softly, but it was not like the voices she had hard before the darkness consumed her. This one seemed to come from inside somewhere.  
  
"No! I cannot! I will not!" she heard herself answering.  
  
"You can and you will. Come on. Wake up."  
  
The voice was definitely female, and definitely impatient.  
  
"I.. I don't want to."  
  
"Why ever not? You have nothing to fear here in the land of the living."  
  
"The light. and the voices."  
  
"Ah. I understand. Well, it's no use running from your problems, Virginia Weasley, and I have come a long way to meet you. I would appreciate it if you would return to us so that I may talk with you in the normal sense. I must confess that it has been a very long time since I've communicated on this plane. It wears me out. Now, if you will just open your eyes."  
  
"This plane? What's going on? Who are you? I don't want to wake up, I tell you! You can't make me!"  
  
And suddenly, Ginny Weasley found herself sitting upright in a bed in the hospital wing, definitely awake. Beside her in a chair was one of the most striking and odd women Ginny had ever run across in her relatively short life.  
  
"Ah, Virginia, so nice of you to join us. I'm Professor Anna Black. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"You're the voice."  
  
"Aye, that I am. Well, I'll leave to rest for a bit. We'll talk in the morning." When she stood to leave, Ginny found that she had no energy to protest. Instead, she focused her attention on the new Professor.  
  
Professor Black had a light Scottish accent, she noted, but that wasn't unusual around Hogwarts. What was really unusual was her looks. Small and petite, Professor Anna Black couldn't have been more than five feet tall at her full height. Black hair that reminded her strongly of Harry's godfather had fallen unbound to her waist. Her eyes had been blue. Ice blue, strongly contradicted by the warmth in her voice when she had welcomed Ginny back.  
  
Ginny closed her eyes and was about to go to sleep when she noticed an odd rustling. Things seemed to be moving in a most unnatural way. Like the bed- curtains.  
  
"Ronald Weasley!" she whispered, doing her best imitation of their mother.  
  
"Sorry," whispered a voice, full of laughter and yet totally invisible. "Try again."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Harry Potter."  
  
Ginny giggled and laid back on the bed. "I can't see you, you know."  
  
"I know. That's really very reassuring, as I'm supposed to be invisible."  
  
"You're that good?" The amusement in her voice was evident as she fingered the covers and looked around for any physical evidence that he was there.  
  
"I'm good at lots of things," Harry said, probably not realizing the possible double meaning, "but I'm not good enough to go invisible on my own."  
  
"Well, then?"  
  
"I've got a cloak, Miss Weasley, since you're so curious to know."  
  
"Wow. An invisibility cloak? That's. amazing. They're rare."  
  
"I know. Ron told me."  
  
Ginny narrowed her eyes very suddenly. "Just what are you doing here, Mr. Potter?" Despite her expression, her tone still showed how light-hearted she was feeling, or pretending to feel.  
  
"I came down to make sure you were all right."  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"I can see that. So I'll. just um..go, then."  
  
Ginny laughed at how nervous he seemed. "I'm supposed to rest. I hope I'll see you all in the morning?"  
  
"Of course. Wild horses couldn't keep Ron away."  
  
She frowned as he turned around to walk out of the door. Wild horses couldn't keep Ron away. what about Harry?  
  
** Anna Black made her way, exhausted and dirty from her trip, up to the Divination tower. The first order of business when she woke up in the morning was to move all of the junk that Sybil Trelawney had collected over the years down and out- preferably into the bottom of the Hogwarts lake. She also was going to move her room. There was no way she could handle walking down the stairs to eat and then walking back up six times a day.  
  
Unlike Sybil, Anna knew the difference between wishful thinking and a real premonition, and that was why she was here, at Hogwarts. She knew there was another Seer coming to power, which was rare, because there was rarely more than one true Seer alive at one time, and she also knew she had to be there. Virginia Weasley was going to be powerful. Very powerful indeed, which could be dangerous for her, and her friends. This sickness was just the first bout in a very long line of dizzy spells, nausea, headaches and more that was the manifestation of her abilities coming into play. Anna recalled her own transition from witch to Seer with not so fond memories, and allowed herself for a moment to feel pity for the young Weasley.  
  
When she reached the top of the stairs, she stopped for a moment and closed her eyes, trying to feel whether or not anyone was in the room.  
  
Being a Seer rarely worked like Sybil, or anyone else, thought it did. She wasn't psychic, but she could still feel magical auras. Only once in her life had she spouted off a prophecy (and a fat lot of good that had done her) and she never woke up in the morning knowing exactly what was going to happen that day. Tea leaves, crystal balls. those were all enhancers. You couldn't even begin to use them unless you had some traces of the Gift. So, for her class this year, Anna had required nothing. This was going to be an educational course. Famous Seers of the past, how to tell the difference between someone who was faking and someone who knew what they were doing, how to deal with a real Seer in a trance (something she felt that they were going to need if she and Ginny hung around Hogwarts much longer), and what being a Seer was really like.  
  
Suddenly, Anna spun around. There was a new aura in her presence. "SIRIUS!" Anna jumped into Sirius's waiting arms and laughed.  
  
"Anna, my love, what are you doing here at Hogwarts?"  
  
"I'm teaching, dear brother o' mine."  
  
Sirius grinned and kissed both her cheeks. "Two Blacks at Hogwarts. Dumbledore doesn't know what he's got himself into. Now, what's the other motive for appearing at Hogwarts so suddenly?"  
  
"What makes you think I have another motive?"  
  
"Anna Black never does anything simply because someone asked her to, even if that someone was Professor Albus Dumbledore."  
  
"I have another Seer to train. I thought it was my duty."  
  
"Another Seer? Having you around was bad enough, darling."  
  
"I love you, Sirius."  
  
Sirius's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"  
  
"I missed you. I don't get to see you for fourteen. no, fifteen years."  
  
"I'm sorry. I couldn't write to you in Azkaban, and it was too dangerous when I was on the run."  
  
"I'm not mad at you, Sirius. Not for what happened here at the school, not for your words. I understand now. I'm not mad, I swear it. Just, don't ever go away like that again."  
  
"I promise, Anna."  
  
"Well, it's no use standing out here blubbering. Why don't you." Her eyes squinted and then lit in amusement, "and Remus come and have a night cap with me."  
  
Remus Lupin, who was just coming up the stairs at this point, let out a booming laugh. "I couldn't ever get one past you."  
  
Anna nodded, and they stood next to each other, as if trying to decide what exactly to do.  
  
Sirius grinned. This, at least, hadn't changed. "Who's the new Seer, then?"  
  
"There's another Seer?" Remus's voice was concerned.  
  
"Yes, there is. That's why I'm here. You should know that. After all, you were spying on us."  
  
"I was not."  
  
"Hey, can we not argue with each other? This is the first time we've seen Anna in fifteen years. well, at least, that's true for me, and I'd really not start on old feuds right now."  
  
Remus nodded. "Agreed."  
  
"Well, then. Come on. I'll pour us all a drink."  
  
When they were all sitting down together in the Tower, Remus finally got up the courage to ask the big question.  
  
"So, who's the new Seer?"  
  
"Virginia Weasley," Anna said calmly and took a sip of the Windelin's Wine they'd all been enjoying. "She's the reason I didn't get to go to the feast. She's having threshold sickness. Not as bad as mine was, mind you, but a decent case of it."  
  
Remus and Sirius winced sympathetically.  
  
"So, what's the plan?" Sirius asked, seemingly nonchalant.  
  
"Well, first I've got to explain to her what this all about. And then," here she heaved a huge sigh. "I've got to convince her to take Divination."  
  
Remus chuckled and Sirius nearly snorted his wine out of his nose.  
  
"I get the impression that Divination isn't exactly the most respected class," Anna said, amusement fringing her voice.  
  
"It wasn't when we were at school," Sirius remarked.  
  
Anna shot him a death glare, but Remus nodded his head. "A lot of students figure it's an easy mark, Anna."  
  
"It's a good thing Sybil kept all her papers on file. I'm going to go through them before I hold my next lesson tomorrow."  
  
"I'm sure you'll find them to be most. entertaining," Remus said diplomatically.  
  
"If they're anything like the Divination papers you two used to write, I'm sure I'll be highly amused."  
  
"Come on now, we put a lot of hard work into our homework assignments." Sirius retorted, insulted.  
  
Anna smiled. "I'm sure you did."  
  
"Well, Sirius, Anna, I'd better get going. There are some things I need to clear up with the Headmaster," Remus announced as he stood to go.  
  
Anna reached out with invisible fingers to feel his aura.  
  
"REMUS J. LUPIN!"  
  
Sirius and Remus both covered their ears in self-defense.  
  
"Did you have to shout? I mean, couldn't you just have cursed him or something?" Sirius pleaded.  
  
"Have you told anybody?" Anna asked, completely ignoring Sirius and walking the two paces to where Remus stood frozen. With her index finger, she pushed him back into his chair.  
  
"What did you do?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Hush, Sirius. Well, Remus?"  
  
"No. I was hoping no one would notice."  
  
"Lucky I showed up then. I thought that fifteen years would have meant that you learned to take care of yourself."  
  
"I have."  
  
"Mmmhmm."  
  
"Would somebody please tell me what's going on?" Sirius demanded.  
  
"Remus's transformations have been causing him pain- too much pain. Even with the Wolfsbane Potion."  
  
"Damn it, Anna!" Remus's eyes were lit with fire and anger that only Anna could provoke.  
  
"Why is that?" Sirius wanted to know, his voice dripping with concern.  
  
"Because he's been a werewolf for far too long."  
  
"Can we please have this conversation as if I were actually in the room?"  
  
"Of course," Anna said. "I'm sorry."  
  
"No apologies. Actually, there is a reason. It will be better this month," Remus said. "Thank you for being concerned."  
  
"It's not because.?" Anna let her voice trail off.  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
"Excuse me? Will someone tell me what is going on, again?"  
  
"No." Remus said, and his tone booked no argument. "I'm going to see the headmaster. Goodnight Sirius, Anna."  
  
** Ginny Weasley woke and Anna Black was there, again.  
  
"Good morning. How are you this morning?"  
  
"Honestly? I feel like I've been run over by a train."  
  
Anna chuckled. "That's perfectly natural."  
  
"Nobody will tell me what's happening to me."  
  
"That's because there's very few people who understand what's happening to you."  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"Yes. That's why I'm here, actually. You're on the threshold of something new and different for you, and your body is reacting badly. But then, so does everyone's."  
  
"Threshold of something new?"  
  
"What do you know about Seers?"  
  
"Only that there's no possible way I am one."  
  
"It's time you start to believe in the impossible."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You, my dear, are experiencing threshold sickness. Your abilities are awakening, and your mind can't handle it, so it's treating it like it would a virus. This is only the beginning. When you start to exercise actual Divination, it will be worse."  
  
"I don't want this. I don't need this."  
  
"Well, there's no use denying it. In fact, that almost makes it worse. People are going to need you."  
  
"What do you know about it?"  
  
"Well, my dear, I'm a Seer. We're in the same boat, so to speak."  
  
"You're a Seer?"  
  
"In the flesh. I'm here to make sure that we both don't make the same mistakes I did."  
  
"We both?"  
  
"Well, I hate to repeat mistakes."  
  
"You're not making sense. I'm not making sense."  
  
"You're doing fine. This is a lot to swallow. Now, I'm going to need to see you this afternoon after your classes to begin our work."  
  
"Um. okay."  
  
"Rest now. And tell young Mr. Potter when he materializes after I've left that you're going to be perfectly fine. I give him my word as his godmother." 


	9. It Is Better To Have Loved

Author's Note: Hello, everyone, I'm back again. My chapter is longer, I think. and I'm pleased to announce that the prophecy in part is finally here for you to mull over and wonder about. Also, I was interested to see if anyone would join a Yahoo! Discussion group if I started one. When you review, please let me know what you think. (Notice I said when you review.)  
  
Chapter Eight: It is Better To Have Loved.  
  
"I can't believe our luck," Ron said excitedly as Hermione and Harry walked with him to Defense Against the Dark Arts. "We don't have Potions with the Slytherins, and our first class is Sirius's!"  
  
"Ron," Harry said patiently, "did you look at who we happen to have Defense Against the Dark Arts with?"  
  
"Hufflepuff. Isn't that wonderful?"  
  
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "That was the old time-table, Ron. They've changed it."  
  
Ron's eyes narrowed. "Well?"  
  
"Slytherins."  
  
"Damn it all to hell! Just when my day was going great."  
  
"My feelings exactly," Harry said, and opened up the heavy door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.  
  
"Welcome to my Defense Against the Dark Arts class. There are a couple of things you need to know so that this year goes smoothly for us all," Sirius began the class. "First of all, I am not, and never was, a Death Eater. This doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm talking about.. Secondly, this class is not one that you can joke around in. You will earn your mark. I do not hand them out like sweets, even to those with whom I share a close bond. Favoritism will not be an issue. Deliberate provoking of other students will not be tolerated! Understood?"  
  
The class nodded.  
  
"I was in Gryffindor when I attended Hogwarts. In my sixth year I was suspended for two and a half weeks for baiting Severus Snape and almost getting him killed. I drove a flying motorcycle after I left Hogwarts, and I did not kill Harry's parents, even though I spent twelve years in a hellhole for doing so. That's my life story. Now we can begin our lesson.  
  
"You all have come into contact with the Unforgivable Curses before, correct?" Without waiting for an answer, Sirius went on. "Let me tell you this: the Unforgivables are just the beginning. You can destroy a man's mind with the Cruciatus Curse. but there are curses that can inflict almost as much pain and deliberately keep you sane the whole time. The Imperius Curse can force you to do something you don't wish to, but there are other curses out there that make you do things without imposing a magical will upon you. You can kill a man with the Avada Kedavra, but you can take away his dignity with others. Another concept I hope you've run into is CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"  
  
The class jumped, as Sirius had been talking rather quietly up until that point. Quite suddenly he'd resumed his normal tone of voice. "The Dark Arts aren't just about inflicting pain. They're about destroying the human part of your soul. Voldemort didn't gain power by killing powerful witches and wizards, Voldemort gained power by taking away the human part of them. Voldemort gained power by acting like a Dementor on the whole wizarding world. You can't just sit back and hope he's defeated someday, people. You've got to act! You cannot let him intimidate you! He's not even human anymore. The first step is to say his name. I've never approved of this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense. His name is VOLDEMORT!"  
  
The class flinched. Neville Longbottom was turning visibly white. "You see, the first step in his road to domination was this fear. fear induces panic, and panic is a state where you cannot function, cannot think properly. And when you cannot think, ladies and gentlemen, then you are dead faster than you can say the killing curse."  
  
Draco Malfoy grinned smugly. "That's what must have happened to Potty's parents over there," he whispered to Crabbe and Goyle. "Panicked and just couldn't think. shame, really."  
  
Sirius had heard this, unfortunately. "Mr. Malfoy, I do not have a history of dealing well with Slytherins, as your Head of House will likely tell you. In fact, didn't I just get through telling you I almost killed him? I just may not be quite sane. Do keep that in mind."  
  
Harry almost didn't hear this part, as his fists were clutched. He was seeing red like never before. Malfoy found himself floating in the air all of a sudden.  
  
"Harry! Harry, come on! Snap out of it," Hermione whispered fiercely. Then she had a flash of brilliance and gave him a good shake. Malfoy dropped from where he was floating twenty feet in the air like a rock.  
  
Sirius felt the color drain from his face. It was all starting over again, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.  
  
"Five points from Slytherin and Gryffindor," he said as calmly as he possibly could. "Next time, Mr. Malfoy, watch what you say in the presence of those who are not completely in control. Mr. Potter, if you could see me after class?"  
  
"Yes, Professor."  
  
"Now, then. Let's get to work."  
  
**  
  
Anna waited patiently for her new pupil to show up. There was no doubt in her mind that Ginny would. After all, the dizzy spells and fits of nausea would be lighter today, but they would still be noticeable. It was time to reveal what she had been harboring for years. She had a feeling it was going to be painful to relive it all, both for her and for Ginny, but it had to be done if Harry and Ginny were to survive this year.  
  
"Professor Black?" A redhead peered around the door, trying to see through the semi-darkness.  
  
"Come in. I'm trying to move all of the things I need down out of this blasted room." When Ginny chuckled, Professor Black smiled ruefully. "Feeling any better, Miss Weasley?"  
  
"Much." When Professor Black lifted an eyebrow, she sighed. "All right. I'm lying."  
  
"I had a feeling. Did the young Mr. Potter catch on?"  
  
"I think so. He kept sending me glances when he thinks I'm not looking. I honestly don't know why he's so worried about me. He's never noticed me before."  
  
Anna smiled. "Things change, and you will find that many things are changing this year. Mr. Potter noticing you is only the beginning."  
  
"Do you have to call me 'Miss Weasley'? I've always hated that. It's just. Ginny."  
  
"All right then, 'Just Ginny', let me show you a story."  
  
"Show me a story?"  
  
"Right. Close your eyes. Touch my hand. Let your mind go, and let yourself flow into me. I could force your mind to accept the images, but it would be easier for the both of us if you would just submit your mind, for an instant, to me."  
  
Ginny stiffened. "No, I don't think so."  
  
"Virginia Weasley, I'm not Tom Riddle. I resent the implication that I'm anything like him."  
  
Ginny's eyes widened. "Are you reading my mind?"  
  
Anna dismissed the question with a gesture. "No, that's quite impossible. That'd be like me looking at your palm and telling you your date of death. Honestly, I'm a Seer, not a miracle worker."  
  
Ginny grinned. Obviously this was an old argument with someone. It was good to know that this Professor that had entered her life in such an abnormal way was human.  
  
"Ginny, I'm not going to go anywhere in your mind. I won't be able to get anything from your brain when we touch auras. I'm just going to transfer a memory of mine to you. All right?"  
  
"It's just that."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"All right."  
  
"What?"  
  
Obviously the Professor had been expecting more resistance than this. Ginny smiled, happy to have thrown off the woman she was quickly growing to like. "I said 'all right.'"  
  
"Okay, then. Give me your hand."  
  
Even though her hand was shaking, remembering the last time a person had even come close to doing anything like this, she was determined to this. There was something here she needed to know. She could feel it, almost like a dull ache in the back of her neck.  
  
Anna took a deep breath. She wouldn't even think about the last time she had shared this memory with someone. That brought back too many painful memories.  
  
"Now, I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to edit this."  
  
"Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me."  
  
"You don't understand."  
  
"Are you backing out of this, Professor Black?" The smile Ginny shot her Professor was pure challenge, almost, Ginny realized with a start, like the ones Fred and George had given her before they had got her into trouble.  
  
"I certainly am not! Let's get this show on the road, Ginny." With that, Anna placed her hand over Ginny's, and they were both taken back to a much happier time for Anna, and, as it turned out, Remus.  
  
**  
  
Hogwarts, 1976  
  
Anna Black, fifth-year sister of the infamous Sirius Black, ran down the stairs at full speed, trying to make it the girls' bathroom before she released all of her supper. The transition from young witch into a mature Seer hadn't been easy on her, and she was ruing the genes that had given her what her Divination professor liked to call "The Gift."  
  
"The Gift my arse," Anna murmured as she ran headlong into the bathroom. "More like a bloody curse."  
  
"Anna? Anna, are you okay?" The concerned voice of Lily Evans floated over the high ceiling, making Anna grimace slightly as she lifted her shaky head to face the Gryffindor prefect.  
  
"I'm fine, Lily, I think."  
  
When Anna turned to face Lily, the older girl couldn't help but gasp. "Let's get you cleaned up. For goodness sake! How long have you been this sick?"  
  
"I'm not sick."  
  
"Like bloody hell you're not." Anna let out an inadvertent chuckle, Lily Evans rarely cursed, and when she did, Anna had to bend her head over the toilet again.  
  
"I believe my brother and his friends are wearing off on you."  
  
"Let's not worry about them for a minute."  
  
"Lily, I can take care of myself."  
  
"Does Sirius know you're this sick?"  
  
"I thought we were going to forget about him for a bit."  
  
"Stop evading the question."  
  
"No, he doesn't. Only the professors know. It's supposed to be a manifestation of my Divination power, or something like that." Anna couldn't believe that she'd opened her mouth and blurted out the truth like that. There was something about Lily Evans.  
  
"All right, chin up. Get your head out of that mess. If you keep looking at it, it will only get worse."  
  
"Ugh. I don't think it can get worse."  
  
"It can." Without another word, Lily grabbed Anna's face and flushed the toilet. Taking a towel of the rack, she wiped Anna's face. "Feeling sorry for yourself makes it much, much worse."  
  
"Lily, thanks. There's something you should know about James." she heard herself saying, and she couldn't stop herself.  
  
"Anna? What's wrong?"  
  
"Three Seers this prophecy will foretell, I, the first, bid you well, One is false, I am true, One will reveal the truth to you.  
  
The Dark Lord is rising, his power is great, He will be defeated by a twist of fate, Love, you see, more powerful than all, Deals the mighty Dark Lord a powerful fall.  
  
A stag, a wolf, a dog and a rat, Three are true. one is not.  
  
Things are not as they appear when the Dark Lord draws near He arises anew, Takes vows under the yew.  
  
My part has ended; I can rest now in peace, Take heed of what I say, do not forget, On this your future rests.  
  
"Anna. What is this all about? Anna, come on! Snap out of it!"  
  
"What'd I say? You have to tell me, Lily. It could be important."  
  
"Something about the Dark Lord.What's going on?"  
  
"I'm supposed to be the first real Seer in almost half a century. You've just been the only witness to my first prophecy. Congratulations," Anna said and promptly leaned over the toilet and threw up again.  
  
**  
  
Later that day, Anna walked through the portrait of the Fat Lady just in time to hear a conversation between the Marauders and Lily.  
  
"I'm worried about Anna," Lily said. James was sitting, leaned back against the comfortable couch in the Common Room, trying desperately not to be distracted by the presence of Lily sitting across the room in a big recliner. Sirius was on his right, and Peter on his left. Remus leaned over them all, his arms draped casually over the couch.  
  
"Sirius's sister Anna?"  
  
"Of course. Do you know anyone else named Anna?"  
  
"No. What's wrong with Anna?"  
  
"She was.awfully sick."  
  
"Sick? Anna didn't tell me she was sick." Sirius started.  
  
"Hullo, everyone."  
  
"Good evening, Anna." Lily said this quietly, but her words could be heard throughout the room. Lily had that affect on a room.  
  
"What's up, Anna?" His brown eyes searched the young woman he considered a sister with an almost desperate urgency.  
  
"Nothing. I'm fine."  
  
Remus tapped the couch once with his palm, the Marauder's code that told James that Anna was lying.  
  
"Tell me the truth."  
  
"I don't. I'm not supposed to talk about it." Anna's eyes sought out Lily's and held them.  
  
"Give her a break," Lily said finally. Remus narrowed his eyes. Lily raised her head slowly from where she'd been studying her nails with a studied disinterest.  
  
"You look sick," Remus said, his tone very caring.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey says I'll be fine in a couple of days," Anna said, almost speaking through gritted teeth. Then she reached out and touched Remus's arm. They both gasped instinctively. Remus's lips lifted in a sardonic smile.  
  
"Are you going to hate me now?" he asked softly, speaking so that only the two of them could hear.  
  
"Never, Remus Lupin. I'm angry, but I'm never going to hate you. Why didn't you just tell me?"  
  
"If I'd known you were a bloody Empath, I would have."  
  
"I'm not an Empath, I'm a Seer."  
  
"Seers can't read other people's thoughts."  
  
"I wasn't reading your thoughts, I was reading your aura!"  
  
"Like there's a whole lot of difference!"  
  
Lily and James caught each other's eye and they both turned away to hide their chuckles. Sirius, who had been unusually quiet, glared sullenly.  
  
"All right, you two," Sirius said, irritated.  
  
"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Peter asked, thoroughly confused.  
  
"Remus and Anna are fighting. Isn't it wonderful?" Lily asked with an overly dramatic sigh.  
  
"How is that wonderful?" Sirius wanted to know.  
  
"Nothing. You wouldn't understand," Lily said with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"James, do you understand this?"  
  
James just shrugged his shoulders. "It's beyond me, mate." Then he winked at Lily, who had the graciousness to blush.  
  
"She's my sister, I ought to know what's going on!"  
  
**  
  
Hogwarts, Present Day  
  
"What's wrong, Professor Black?"  
  
"I'll be fine," Anna said. "I'm just. so tired. Sharing memories about James and Lily is going to be especially hard for me. I'm sorry."  
  
"No, it's okay. Sit back here on the couch. Just lean back."  
  
"What did you see?"  
  
"Everything. Your prophecy, Lily's reaction, Remus, Sirius. I don't know if I can call them 'Professors' now that I've seen that."  
  
"You'd better be able to. I don't know how Remus would feel about me showing you that."  
  
"You were in love, weren't you?"  
  
"I was, at least."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Nothing. Remus and I did not part on the best of terms. We never did get on very well, and I think it's time for you to return to your dormitory." 


	10. Secrets Revealed, Prophecies Pondered

Anna sat down weakly on her bed. The lamp was flickering, and she didn't have the energy to reinforce the charm that kept it burning. If Lily were here… but she stopped that train of thought in its tracks. She'd spent the last twelve years trying to banish just such thoughts, and had almost succeeded. But the simple fact was this; Anna Michelle Lupin could not take care of herself after a hard night like this. Wearily, she pulled the ring out of its box. She hadn't quite made it to being Mrs. Remus Lupin, but she'd already taken to calling herself that. Lily had been so happy for her. She'd got engaged at the same time Lily had announced she was pregnant. Two women, floating on different clouds, with so very much in common, with nothing in their way except an evil.. thing.

She bit back a sob. She was drained of her energy and she hadn't eaten in almost two days. Anna found that she couldn't when the Gift was coursing through her body. As a result, she was thin, and appeared much older than she was. Whenever she felt the urge, she ran to the nearest bathroom and let the dry heaves wrack her body.

When she was honest with herself, Anna knew that her body had never fully accepted the changed cells, mostly because her mind hadn't. If she could just… get over it, she wouldn't have this problem, she thought bitterly to herself as she tried to force herself to stop. 

Passing on his way to his own chambers within the staff hall, Remus heard the telltale signs. He pushed open the door, not caring about propriety. "Anna, damn it!" 

"Good evening to you too, Remus."

"Can you get up?"

"If I could, would I be sitting here?" Anna leaned her head back. Exhaustion, abuse and hunger had done horrifying things to her face. There were deep hollows in her cheeks and her eyes were empty.

"How long has been since you last ate?" When Anna shrugged, Remus blew his top again. "Damn it all to hell and back! How did you survive on your own for twelve years? You can't even take care of yourself… bloody hell. Don't start to cry on me, Anna." 

"I'm not going to cry."

"You're not?" His voice was surprised, frustrated in only a way that Anna Black could inspire.

"I managed not to cry for the last twelve years, I think I can manage the next twelve minutes."

"You didn't cry at all?"

"I… I couldn't."

"Sometimes you just have to."

"I know, but I felt so empty, and you weren't there…"

"That wasn't my fault…"

"Of course it wasn't."

"Anna…"

"You just ran off for six months and didn't tell me where you were! Everyone would ask me, 'Where's your fiancé today?' and I would say, 'I don't know. The last time I heard from him we almost killed each other.' That hurt." She saw the shock in his eyes. "Did you think _I wasn't hurting, Remus? He was my brother…"_

"He was James' best mate! I should have been able to help him, but I couldn't. You know how much I wanted to, Anna. It hurt so badly when I thought he'd betrayed us. The Marauder brotherhood, you know."

"I couldn't take it without you, Remus. You and I, we didn't lose friends, we lost family. I lost a sister and two brothers that night, and so did you. I needed you, damn it! You think I look bad now, you should have seen me three years ago! Albus Dumbledore saved me, again. Just like he'd saved you. And, for some godforsaken reason or another, he's decided to bring us together again. I'm not going to back out on you, and I never did, never will. I'm not saying we should jump back into bed together, but we should be able to act like adults."

Still angry with her, and himself, he reached out and caressed her face. "We never could act like adults around each other, and you know it."

"Remus, I've missed you."

"Did you think I didn't? The transformations keep getting worse, Anna. I have no energy, I keep scratching at myself, and even Padfoot's worried. Not to mention Moony." His hand fisted right near her ear. "You're the only one I've ever loved, that Moony's ever loved. You make me feel _alive again. All these years I've been trying to work up the courage to come back, to see you." _

"We were both idiots," Anna said quietly. "I thought you didn't need me."

Remus sputtered in protest, then discovered he couldn't find the words. He wrapped her in a fierce hug, shielding her from the air, and the world, if only for a minute. Then he could feel the shakes and seizures that were wracking her body. With a murmured curse, he picked her up and carried her like a baby. She was lighter than she looked, and Remus had the added bonus of werewolf strength. In fact, she was much too light.

In an instant he had her out the door, and started down the corridors.

Anna made a sputtering noise of protest but couldn't really argue when nothing would focus. "Remus! Remus, the world is spinning!"

"Just a little bit further, sweetheart. Come on." 

"Remus, I'm going to be sick."

"You can't get sick. There's nothing in your system for you to get sick _on." _

"You'd be amazed," Anna murmured as she fought the reflex to gag.

"You never did accept the enzymes, did you?"

"I thought I had. It just keeps getting worse, though. I have dizziness, nausea, and lightheadedness. I can't even think straight. To top it all off, I've just funneled a memory into Ginny Weasley."

"Anna!"

"It was the only thing to do. She had to know the prophecy, and Sirius wasn't going to tell Harry. I thought it was my duty as his godmother."

Just then, a dark haired boy with the most startling green eyes stepped out from the shadows. Well, he was supposed to be invisible, but Anna was a Seer, and such things didn't work against her "Inner Eye."

Obviously the poor young man was in shock. He kept working his mouth to try to get some words out, but none would come. Anna draped her head over Remus's strong arm and said quite clearly, "Good evening, Harry Potter."

Remus looked around quickly. "Where is he, Anna? Damn it, don't fade out on me now! Harry, take off that damned cloak and help me. This is a prime example of what happens when a Seer overworks herself. Run. Get Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Have them meet me in the hospital wing, then tell Dobby to get an emergency rations kit. The older house-elves should know what that is."

Harry took off the cloak and stood before Remus, whom he considered an uncle. "If I run into Professor Snape…"

"Tell him to take it up with me. Besides, _if you're up to something at all," and he tossed a piece of parchment at Harry, "you normally get away with it." To Harry's amazement, it was the Marauder's Map in all its glory. _

There were thousands of things Harry wanted to know, among them how Professor Lupin even came by the map--when last he'd seen it, it was in Professor Dumbledore's hands--but now was not the time. He had never seen anyone look as sickly, as pale as Professor Black. Except for Remus. Perhaps that was the bond his two new professors shared. But then again, perhaps there was more water under the bridge than that.

Harry made his way quietly down the hall, and found Professor Dumbledore's office easily enough. The map Remus had given him, the map he had so many questions about, told him the password was "chocolate truffles".

He breathlessly addressed the gargoyle, and moved on. Professor Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, doing paperwork.  
  


"Professor!" Quickly, Professor Dumbledore looked up. When he saw it was Harry, his eyes glowed.

"Have a seat, Harry. What's wrong?"

"Professor Lupin says I'm to come get you. It's Professor Anna Black, sir. He said that 'this is a prime example of what happens when a Seer overworks herself.'"

"There's no time to lose. Be on your way, get Minerva. As Anna's former Head of House, perhaps she can talk some sense into the girl."

 The way back to Gryffindor Tower was long, but Harry made it short with long strides and no consideration for the amount of noise he made. Let Filch find him. There was something in the air that told him to hurry.

He burst into Professor McGonagall's room, not her office. She was sitting in a large armchair with a bottle of Butterbeer and a mystery magazine.

"Professor! Professor Anna Black is in trouble… Professor Lupin says she's overworked herself and there's no time to lose."

"Well, he would know," Professor McGonagall said, pulling on a robe and her hat. "Those two are experts at not taking care of themselves."

Without taking the time to decipher that cryptic comment, Harry ran to the kitchens. 

"Dobby! Dobby, wake up!" he said, shaking the elf that he had been lucky enough to find sitting in front of the huge fire.

"Harry Potter, sir! Dobby is honored, sir, to have you in his humble home!"

"There's no time for that, Dobby. I need an emergency rations kit." Dobby's eyes lit up and he nodded in understanding. 

"Dobby will fetch Harry Potter the kit, if sir would be so kind as to wait here."

"Of course, Dobby. Just hurry."

A minute and a half later, Harry was running at full speed toward the hospital wing. 

"Ah, here's young Mr. Potter now," Dumbledore said as Harry opened the door cautiously.

"Thank you, Harry," he heard a voice say behind him. It was hoarse, almost unrecognizable. Remus was bent over the figure, spoon feeding it something. With a start, Harry realized who it was.

"You're welcome, Professor Black."

**

"You mean to tell me that she's your godmother and all this time Sirius never said a word?" Ron demanded, his mouth full of scones with strawberry jam, while Harry scrambled to finish his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework.

Conversation at the Gryffindor breakfast table had turned to the events of last night, and Ron and Hermione wanted to know all about it.

"He just said that, Ron. Don't chew with your mouth full. The real question is:  what's this prophecy that they all seem so concerned with?" Hermione demanded.

"Wish I knew. It would certainly make my life easier if people would tell me these things," Harry said quietly.

"Good morning, Ginny," Hermione said to a figure behind Harry.

Turning around swiftly, Harry found his eyes level with Virginia Weasley's chest. "Morning, Ginny," Ron said, shoveling eggs into his mouth like there was no tomorrow.

"Morning, all. Harry, I need to speak with you. Now, preferably." Harry turned back around, dazed. Ginny had never spoken to him like that. It was like she was impatient with him. When he shot Ron a look, the other Weasley shrugged.

"Sounds like the Ginny we know and love at home," he said carelessly.

"Of course, give me a minute. I'd like to finish this one sentence… there. Now, let's go." Ginny gave a brisk nod, and Harry followed her without question.

They ended up walking around the edge of the lake. Harry shivered and repressed the painful memories, something he was becoming quite good at as the years went on.

"I went to see Professor Anna Black last night."

"Just before she collapsed?"

"Yes." They had set a fast pace, but Ginny was having no problems keeping up.

"What happened?"

"She showed me a memory."

"Showed you a memory? What do you mean?" 

Ginny drew a deep breath. "She grabbed my hand and showed me an event from her life, only it was like I was there, sitting next to her. It wasn't in the first person, either. It was like…"

"You were a casual observer. You couldn't change anything," Harry finished off for her.

"Yes, exactly like that. How'd you know?"

"Remind me to tell you about Pensieves sometime. This sounds remarkably familiar."

"All right then, I will. This wasn't the oddest part of the memory, though, and it wasn't what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Well?"

"There's a prophecy, Harry. This first part only applied to your parents, but I think the beginning's very important. It was Anna's first real prophecy."

"Do you remember any of it?"

"I remember all of it."

"Well, that's convenient." 

"It goes like this: 

_Three Seers this prophecy will foretell,_

_I, the first, bid you well,_

_One is false, I am true, _

_One will reveal the truth to you._

_The Dark Lord is rising, his power is great,_

_He will be defeated by a twist of fate,_

_Love, you see, more powerful than all,_

_Deals the mighty Dark Lord a powerful fall._

_A stag, a wolf, a dog and a rat,_

_Three are true… one is not._

_Things are not as they appear _

_when the Dark Lord draws near_

_He arises anew,_

_Takes vows under the yew._

_My part has ended; I can rest now in peace,_

_Take heed of what I say, do not forget,_

_On this your future rests."_

"Very creepy, Ginny," Harry said and rubbed his forehead in irritation.

"Do you know what all of it means?"

"I have a fair idea about it all, except the first part, and the last."

"What's significant about the yew tree?" Ginny wanted to know. "There has to be something, otherwise Voldemort wouldn't be taking vows under it."

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "That makes sense, though." 

"She was talking to your mother."

Harry stopped abruptly. "Was this a warning?"

"I think it might have been, though Anna would have never harmed your mum. She was the only anchor Professor Black had other than Remus."

"Right," Harry said. "So, let's move on."

"You know Harry, we're not going to work this out on our own. I just wanted to tell you face to face so you could deal with it out of the public eye."

"Thank you, Ginny. I appreciate that, and I agree. We're most definitely going to need Hermione in on this, and Ron."

"Wherever Hermione goes," Ginny started with a smile. 

"Ron goes," Harry finished.

"Do you ever feel… left out around them?"

"I've been wanting to tell them to get a room for years," Harry started off, with a smile then saw Ginny wasn't teasing. "Of course, sometimes."

"Hmmm. I bet they're getting worried. We'd better get back."

Harry nodded. "All right."

They trudged up to the castle slowly. When they reached the door, Ron and Hermione were there waiting for them. 

"We've got a new puzzle to work out,"

Quickly Harry ran through the prophecy and Ginny told the shortened version of the memory that Anna had shared with her. Hermione ran a hand over her cheek distractedly, and Harry could see that the wheels were already turning inside Hermione's amazing brain.

"Well, it's obviously a three forked prophecy, with each of the Seers providing one," she started out. That made sense to Harry, Ron and Ginny, so they nodded, and they all started to walk back to the Gryffindor Common Room in Hermione's wake. "Anna is the first, and she is telling the truth."

"Right. So there's two other Seers," Ron said, making sure he understood. "One isn't telling the truth, and the other will…?"

"I can't quite work that out. _One will reveal the truth to you. Hmmm. So, Anna is telling the truth, but what's she's saying isn't remarkable?" Harry guessed._

"That's one possibility," Hermione said.

"What's special about the yew tree?" Ginny asked curiously.

"I can't quite recall," Hermione said. "I know I've read something."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Let me guess. This is going to call for research."

"I think so, but it may not," Hermione said quickly. "Ginny, come with me to my dormitory. I know if we could only find my book on magical trees, we might have a starting off point."


	11. Round The Bend Altogether

Chapter Ten : Round the Bend Altogether  
  
This was turning out to be one of the strangest years of Harry Potter's not so normal life. Remus, Sirius, and his newly discovered godmother were all teaching at Hogwarts, and an odder group of people most of the school had never encountered. Remus taught his class calmly, Sirius taught his in almost the same fashion that Mad Eye Moody's imitator had, and Anna was, he'd decided, "round the bend all together", as Seamus put it.  
  
The first ever Divination class of Harry's sixth year had started off strangely. Everyone had arrived precisely on time, except for Neville, who'd stumbled in late, mumbling that he'd lost Trevor again, and then they'd all sat around and waited. And waited. And waited. They'd sat there for almost half an hour, wondering exactly what to do. Just when the Gryffindors were voting someone to try and find the Professor, she'd walked in.  
  
"Oh dear. Have I missed the start of the class?" When they all nodded, she shook her head in dismay. "Just like me. Perfectly horrid and unacceptable. I'm afraid I got caught up in the hospital wing." She dug out a watch from the folds of her cloak and groaned. "Thirty minutes behind. I do wish it would get its act together."  
  
Neville swallowed back his laughter. "THAT'S your godmother, Harry?"  
  
"I suppose so," Harry said. "She seems a bit different than when I saw her last."  
  
"You all will have to forgive me. A good friend of mine is having a rough time, and I was just visiting him. I'm afraid I let the time get away from me. I'm not normally like this."  
  
Anna Black stood all of five feet tall and had wild black hair that flew out from her face. She had blue eyes of the sea, and on her ears she hung the moon and stars. A delicate chain of silver wound around her neck on which she had hung three rings. All Harry could see from where he was sitting was that were two were gold and one was silver. That was the only jewelry she wore. The robes she had on were more eccentric. They were a deep royal purple, and on them astrological patterns danced and winked.  
  
"Now, I wish to say, first of all, that this is not the class you took under Sybil Trelawney. There are a couple of distinct, very important differences between Sybil and myself. The first is the fact that I'm a True Seer. This means that I have made more than two accurate predictions in my life, and it also means that occasionally I'm going to be extremely bipolar. Just depending on what the vibrations of the day are, I could be happy, forgetful, rude and condescending, or gentle. Most of the time I will strive to be moderate in my emotions. The second difference is that I will actually teach this class. It will not do you any good to spend all of your time that you devote to this class inventing new ways to die. Well, it might improve your creative writing skills, but that's beside the point. You will actually do your homework in here. There will be no tealeaves, no crystal ball gazing, and no silly perfumes in this class. You will earn your mark.  
  
"Now, the first activity will be fun. I want to get to know each of you, and as I don't have Cornish pixies, or a Boggart on hand, we'll just have to work on your hands.  
  
"The art of Palmistry is often over-used, and in the same manner is taken too seriously by the general population, both Muggle and wizards alike. There is only so much I can tell about you by gazing at your palm for a few seconds, and most of them are personality traits. I cannot tell you when you are going to die, or in what manner, except in very special cases, none of which should be present in this room, so don't expect a clear and concise version of your life. Now then, I'll just go down the list."  
  
Lavender and Patil were informed that they were "as flighty as birds, and often talked as much," and Seamus and Dean got the same: "maturity hasn't set in yet." Everyone, however, was waiting to see what she would say about Harry Potter's hand.  
  
"Harry Potter." Anna took his hand in a no-nonsense sort of gesture, and bit her bottom lip in concentration. "A very appropriate mix of your parents, Mr. Potter. Nobility, loyalty, friendship, ambition. Oftentimes your ideals and morals get in the way of your true goals, but that's an endearing quality. You don't have to prove yourself, Mr. Potter, and you'd do well to remember that. But there's something else here. Something that isn't too odd, considering the circumstances, yes. Of course, this is just a reading and I could be interpreting this the wrong way, but you are destined for very, very great things. Far beyond what anyone expects of you. Just don't expect more than you can produce from yourself.  
  
"Ronald Weasley."  
  
They spent the rest of the class period working on researching techniques that medieval "Seers" had used to pull the wool over the eyes of their patrons. Professor Black also insisted that they learn to detect frauds. The hour passed quickly, and everyone left the tower in a hurry.  
  
Walking out of the Divination Tower, Ron and Harry took to talking, as they hadn't been allowed to in class.  
  
"Well, what do you think about the new professor?" Harry asked, walking quickly, as they were headed toward lunch, the most important time of the day to Ron's thinking.  
  
"Hermione would like her. Imagine, actually having to work on Divination homework. I'm going to miss inventing ways to kill you, mate."  
  
"We were getting rather desperate there at the end, you know. Being ripped apart by Cornish pixies isn't exactly plausible."  
  
"In my own defense, I would like to say that we were up entirely too late that night."  
  
"I still got full marks for it."  
  
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, could I speak to for a moment?" Professor Black's voice cut through their easy banter.  
  
"Damn. Harry, we're going to be late to lunch," Ron whispered.  
  
"It will only take a minute. Remus, Sirius and I were wondering if you'd join us for tea this Saturday."  
  
"Where?" Harry asked.  
  
"Hagrid's hut, around four."  
  
"All right," Ron said, and began tugging on Harry's arm. He was obviously starved.  
  
"Can Ginny come too?"  
  
Professor Black felt a tug at her heart, but schooled her expression to remain unchanging. "Of course," she said. Harry nodded, and he and Ron took off at an easy jog for the Great Hall and lunch.  
  
As Anna walked down the stone corridor, her heels clicked and echoed throughout the school. Startled, she stopped for a moment. "Seems lonely without all the students running about," she murmured to herself. A smile graced her lips for a moment. "Of course, if we'd been back at school, I could have never relaxed my guard. Remus or Sirius or James or. Peter would have been behind me, without a doubt." She stopped for a moment, looked around. Without the Invisibility Cloak, the Marauders, at least what was left of them, were not as formidable. No one was behind her. "Ah, that's right. Remus and Sirius have classes this hour."  
  
She ran a hand over the wall, testing its texture. "So much has changed, but Hogwarts never does, does it? Listen to me, talking to myself like an old woman. I suppose I am an old woman, to these children."  
  
A shiver ran up and down her spine and she pulled her robes closer to herself. "I'll have to speak to that tailor again. Just because I'm little doesn't mean he can leave on that extra inch I paid him to take off." She watched her feet for a few more steps to avoid tripping over them.  
  
The corridors of Hogwarts hadn't changed much at all, in reality. The hallway that led to the Divination room, her classroom, was now decorated in Gryffindor house colors. She had discreetly changed the tapestries so that no one would notice, except for, of course, the Slytherins.  
  
Surprisingly enough, Anna managed to treat all of her pupils equally. If anything, she was harder on the Gryffindors. Seers weren't generally accepted by the wizarding community, but everyone at Gryffindor House had treated her just like a normal girl, and she expected no less from their descendants.  
  
The cold air that she had been feeling swept around her. "Peeves!" (technical nit pick: poltergeists aren't ghosts, so why the cold air in Peeves' presence?) "Anna banana. where's your Loony loony Lupin? I thought you were going to be the next Loony Lupin. Life never turns out the way we want, does it?"  
  
"Stuff it, Peeves."  
  
"Are you insulting me?"  
  
"I am a teacher now, and I'm asking you to get out of my way before I lose my temper."  
  
"Hit a sore spot, didn't I, Anna banana?"  
  
"Go away, Peeves. This conversation is over with."  
  
"That's what you think."  
  
Suddenly, Anna's eyes snapped. "I will banish you, make no mistake about that. I have no moral qualms about it like I did when I was a sixth year. Perhaps it's time you accepted that I've grown up, Peeves."  
  
"Perhaps its time you accepted that you've grown up, Anna."  
  
Anna shook her head as she walked away from the ghost. To everyone else, he was rude, but for her he seemed to hold a deep resentment. "You should have banished him when he asked you to," the voice inside of her sneered. "Look at the mess you've got yourself into now. Did you really think that you could change things? Virginia Weasley doesn't stand a chance, and you know it."  
  
"No. She has a very good chance. She's got me, Remus, Sirius and an ace in the hole. Harry Potter."  
  
**  
  
Ginny Weasley was going to faint, and that was all there was to it. The room had begun to spin uncontrollably, and colors had begun to fade. All she had to do was make to the Gryffindor Common Room, and then she could sit down.  
  
A ruckus behind her made her turn around, almost too quickly. It was Ron, Harry and Hermione, breathless and laughing.  
  
"I won," Harry managed.  
  
"Honestly," Hermione said in between gasps.  
  
"Ginny, are you okay?" Ron was still breathing hard, but he noticed that she looked entirely too pale. He was getting better at that sort of thing since she had got sick the first time.  
  
"I'm fine, thanks."  
  
Harry wasn't going to believe her, she saw. Ron and Hermione pushed ahead of him through the portrait hole, and he relaxed against the wall, hands in his pockets. With his hair mussed and his face red from the race from the greenhouses, he almost took her breath away.  
  
"Be honest with yourself, Virginia Weasley," a voice inside of her head addressed her sternly, "He does take your breath away."  
  
"I did eat today, you know."  
  
Harry grinned at her already defensive tone. His green eyes twinkled, and held her brown ones captive. "Did you really?"  
  
"At breakfast."  
  
He narrowed his eyes, and the smile nearly faded. "Breakfast was--" he checked his watch, "--almost twelve hours ago." **being nitpicky again: if they eat breakfast at 8, say, this implies it's almost 8 PM. what were they doing at the greenhouses at that time of the evening?  
  
"I haven't been hungry." But standing across from him, she was very hungry, for something entirely different. Then his green eyes snapped, and one corner of his mouth lifted.  
  
"There's only one solution to this problem."  
  
Ginny was interested, despite herself. "Yes?"  
  
"I'm going to ask for complete secrecy on this one, Gin. Still, if it's the only way. Come with me, no. Wait in the Common Room. I'll be back." He turned and gave the Fat Lady the password.  
  
Ginny stood in the Common Room, awkwardly awaiting his return. Around her, everyone was busy. Homework was out at Lavender and Patil's customary position on the couch- Dean and Seamus lounged on the rug beneath them. Students from her year played Exploding Snap or studied for the impending O.W.L.s. Ron and Hermione were sitting on a windowsill, having a rousing discussion on. she listened in for a moment, sugar quills. She grinned as they managed to argue about strawberry versus vanilla, and take it seriously.  
  
Harry thudded down the stairs, **OK it isn't clear from the foregoing that he'd gone off up the stairs. It sounded as if he'd gone off somewhere outside Gryffindor Tower. You might want to add a phrase that he went up to his dormitory while Ginny waited for him above. and stopped to talk to Ron and Hermione, who looked her direction and then nodded. She saw Ron whisper something to Harry, who in turn punched Ron lightly in the arm.  
  
"Come on, Gin. Let's go."  
  
"Go where?"  
  
"The kitchens, of course. Watch your step," he added mildly as Ginny almost fell flat on her face stepping out of the portrait hole.  
  
"How am I supposed to fit underneath of that?" she asked when Harry brought out the Invisibility Cloak from underneath his robe.  
  
He grinned impishly. "Press close."  
  
Ginny felt her face go red, and as Harry caught the implication of what he had just said, his did too. He cleared his throat. "Shall we go?"  
  
"We're going to the kitchens under that?"  
  
"Well, you're hungry, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"There's only one place to get food in Hogwarts. The kitchens."  
  
"But aren't they supposed to be hidden or something?"  
  
"They're supposed to. Myself and a few others at Hogwarts are privileged to know where the house-elves reside, courtesy of your brothers. Stay close. It would look odd for one foot to be walking down the corridor without a body attached to it."  
  
"All right, Percy."  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks, but he smiled down at her fully so that she could see his teeth. The grin caught her off guard and left her breathless. "That was uncalled for. Five points from Gryffindor."  
  
She promptly stuck her tongue out. "You wouldn't dare."  
  
"You're right," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. Ginny almost burst out laughing, and it was a good thing she caught herself because they almost ran into Snape and Remus.  
  
"You can't trust that woman. I don't care if you are head sick in love with her."  
  
"I can trust her, you stupid bastard. I was only engaged to her for a year and a half."  
  
"But you didn't marry her."  
  
"Because I was a coward, not because she had anything to do with Peter."  
  
"Voldemort is out to recruit her."  
  
"He was out to recruit her fourteen years ago, Snape. She didn't give in."  
  
Snape acknowledged the obvious barb with a sneer. "How much more vulnerable is she going to be with an apprentice under her, Lupin? Voldemort will use that youngest Weasley against her."  
  
"Voldemort is out to get Ginny Weasley, Anna Black or no Anna Black, and there's nothing that Anna, you or I can do about it." Ginny gasped a little, and turned white. Harry took her hand firmly and squeezed.  
  
"We'd know more if we could just find the complete version second branch of that prophecy that your friend calls rubbish."  
  
"Sirius feels that way because the prophecy is what got James and Lily killed, and you and I both know that. I'd give anything to burn it, to destroy any evidence that it ever existed. Then maybe my two best friends would get a shot at their happily ever after, and I'd get a chance to start mine."  
  
Remus stalked off, and Ginny found herself very close to Harry, with one of her hands on his back in a natural show of support, the other still incased in his. Of its own accord, the hand slid up and massaged his shoulder. Harry nodded, and they took off again.  
  
They moved quickly and quietly down through the castle until they were standing in front of a large picture of fruit. Reaching a hand out from underneath of the cloak, Harry tickled the pear, and the door swung open. The portrait creaked just a little, and as they stepped inside, Harry pulled the cloak off of them.  
  
There were hundreds of house-elves in the kitchen, it seemed, and they all had high-pitched, chattering voices. There were homey sounds of clinking pots and boiling water, and Ginny inhaled, smelling the distinct odor of fresh made bread.  
  
Quite suddenly, a piercing voice called out to them. "Harry Potter! Harry Potter has brought another Wheezy!" In front of Ginny stood a house-elf, one that she recognized from her first year.  
  
"Hello, Dobby. This is Ginny."  
  
"You is Harry Potter's Wheezy?"  
  
"I'm his friend, yes," she said and cursed herself as a blush crept over her cheeks. "But not in that way."  
  
Dobby raised his unblinking eyes to Harry's face. Before he could say another word, Harry cut him off. "Could we get some food, Dobby?"  
  
"Oh yes! What would Harry Potter's Wheezy be wanting?"  
  
"Milk, bread, maybe some cheese?" Ginny tried to think of things her mother let her have at this time of night. Ginny found it was easier to feel better if she felt like she was at home sometimes.  
  
Dobby let out a delighted squeal and clapped his hands twice. A large loaf of steaming bread, two mugs of milk and six kinds of cheese were arranged on a tray in front of them.  
  
"Thank you, Dobby," she said shyly.  
  
"You is very welcome, Miss."  
  
"Yes, thank you, Dobby."  
  
"Always a pleasure to serve the great Harry Potter, sir."  
  
Harry blushed and led Ginny to a table in the corner. "Sorry about him."  
  
"I think he's adorable," Ginny said with a shrug, and tore of a bit of the bread. Over and over again her mind she kept hearing bits and pieces of Remus and Snape's conversation. "Voldemort is out to get Ginny Weasley, Anna Black or no Anna Black."  
  
"This prophecy thing is driving me nuts," Harry muttered under his breath and ran his hands through his hair.  
  
"Me too," Ginny said, though her mouth was full of cheese. "Where is the second branch of the prophecy?" She was trying desperately not to sound worried, or scared, but the look in Harry's eyes when he raised his head told her she hadn't fooled him.  
  
"Well, it sounds to me like they only have part of it. Damn, damn, damn!"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm so sick of people trying to protect me by withholding information! I'm not an idiot, you know."  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
"Now he's after you."  
  
"It's not your fault."  
  
"Well, I wish someone would explain to me why! Perhaps this tea thing with them will sort things out. Would you like to come with us?"  
  
"Come with you where?"  
  
"To Hagrid's hut--" he averted his eyes when he said the beloved giant's name "--for tea with Remus, Sirius and Anna, Saturday around four?"  
  
Ginny blushed to the roots of her hair. She was invited to go along with the trio. Not only that, but Harry Potter. She stopped that line of thinking. He was just Harry.  
  
"All right. Why not?" 


	12. A Bit of Tea

Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for ending the chapter where I did. Okay, so maybe I wasn't sincere. hehe. Please consider joining the discussion group for Tested In Fire, located here: Tested in Fire Fans  
  
Tested in Fire, Chapter 11: A Bit of Tea  
  
Ginny was dreaming.  
  
Godric's Hollow?  
  
"James, I'm going to kill you!"  
  
Lily Potter, James reflected, could scream. Or perhaps it was just the hormones. He remembered that the midwife had told him that Lily wouldn't mean what she said during childbirth, but she sure sounded like she meant it.  
  
"I don't know about you, Prongs, but I'm glad I'm outside the door, and not in it," said a very nervous Peter Pettigrew.  
  
James winced as Lily announced another explicative. "Do you think I should go in?"  
  
"Not if you value your life, mate," Sirius cautioned him, and then popped another peanut into his mouth. Remus just smiled.  
  
"She's very close," Anna said from across the hallway. "Go on in." James raised his eyebrows at Anna, but as she generally knew things, because she was a Seer, he took a step towards the door. "I promise she won't throw anything."  
  
"Give one final push, dearie," James heard the midwife tell Lily as he pushed open the door.  
  
There was silence for a moment, and those standing in the hallway heard a piercing cry. Anna lifted her face, tears streaming down it. "It's a boy," she said simply.  
  
Inside the room, the midwife handed a bundled up, wailing baby to James. "Support his head, there you go," she whispered. "You're the father of a boy, Mr. Potter."  
  
James blinked in wonderment. This little boy was all his. He pushed up the blanket to take a good look at his face, and then walked the few steps over to Lily, who took the child into her arms.  
  
"James, he's beautiful," Lily said. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in all of your life? He's just so precious."  
  
James shook his head, and cupped her chin lovingly with his hand. His world had quite suddenly radically changed. Everything was different now. "He is beautiful," James agreed. "You're beautiful," he finished with a kiss.  
  
"Harry James Potter," Lily whispered. "That's his name."  
  
Outside of the door, Peter ran a hand through his hair, and wondered exactly what he was going to tell Lord Voldemort. Despite his best efforts, the prophecy was being fulfilled, which could only mean bad things for the Potters. He didn't want to be the ones responsible for their deaths, but it would bring him rank and glory in the Death Eaters' minds.  
  
Yes, when the time came, Peter would go down in history.  
  
** Ginny woke up, almost cursing. The dream had ended too abruptly. She hadn't been able to work anything out. Slowly she ran a hand against her stomach. The feelings that Lily had experienced had been powerful, and she'd been an outsider. Ginny had wanted to scream, wanted to implant something to tell Lily of Peter's imminent betrayal. Despite everything, the emotions she felt, the way everything seemed so real, they were only dreams.  
  
She now understood the pain of the three remaining friends. Lily and James Potter had been so obviously in love, and a couple more deserving of happiness she'd never met. If only Peter hadn't given away their location, "Then," she thought, "Harry would be a very different person, but Voldemort wouldn't be after me."  
  
Her mother's voice inside of her head cut through her wishing. "What might have been is a waste of time. You can't change other people's actions. The past is the past, the present is now, but the future, your future, is infinite in its possibilities." Ginny remembered asking her mother what would have happened if the Potters had lived, after listening to that story for what must have been the 100th time.  
  
It was a good thing that the following day was a Saturday. Perhaps she would be able to sleep during the day. Recalling that she had told Harry she would go to tea with him, she pulled the covers up and over her head.  
  
Rolling over, she tried closing her eyes. Visions of the look on Peter's face when he heard of Harry's birth kept replaying over and over again in her mind's eye. Tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks. She tired instructing herself to calm down, to let her mind wander. Her mind, though, refused to give up. It was like the precise cutting tool that Professor Snape used to cut roots to the nearest millimeter, refusing to give up on solving mysteries that didn't have any clues. If she were Hermione Granger, she would have sat down and made a list of unknowns and knowns. The problem was she wasn't sure what exactly she knew and what she didn't.  
  
What she had was a bunch of dreams, a prophecy that was next to useless, the knowledge of a second prophecy, most likely containing the reasons why Voldemort was after her, and a Gift that was more like a curse.  
  
She sat up in bed and threw the covers back against the footboard, and tugged her ponytail from the nape of her nightgown. For a few minutes she let her feet enjoy the sensation of skin against linen before she swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and her feet hit the wood floor of the dormitory. She stood up and straightened her night dress. Not quite sure what she was doing up, she began to wander around the room.  
  
Her night table was just beside her bed, and she made that her first stop. She fingered the wood, almost caressing, grateful for something familiar when her whole world was being pulled out from underneath of her.  
  
Her eyes fell on the pretty box she kept her letters from Bill in. If she had been wandering around in daylight, she would've pulled out his latest letter and re-read the bit about Bill getting lost in a pyramid just recently.  
  
Next her hand crept up to her Romanian stuffed dragon. She scratched it behind the ears, and it gave her a tired wink.  
  
The pile of books on the right hand corner of the dresser reminded her of Percy, who shared an interest in literature with her. His letters were full of recommendations and reviews of the latest releases.  
  
Fred and George, as a beginning of the year present, had sent her an entire box chock full of experimental Wheeze's candies. A grateful smile graced her face through the tracks of tears. Perhaps testing them would lift her spirits, she mused, turning the idea over in her head. Deciding against it, her eyes moved on.  
  
A picture frame was the only thing left. She tried to move on, but was captured, however unwillingly, by the people in the photograph. She took the frame in her hands to study it in the moonlight.  
  
Ron, her youngest brother, stood with Hermione, the love of his live, and Harry, the love of hers. The boys had their arms around Hermione's shoulders. They all waved enthusiastically at her. Occasionally Hermione giggled as one of the boys leaned in her ear to tell her something. It had been the trio's fifth year, just before the attack on Hogwarts.  
  
Ginny took a moment to recall it all. Voldemort had been rising very quickly, and the Death Eaters who had remained faithful to him had been rewarded. Those who had not- Ginny shuddered. They only knew of the severity of the punishments from what Professor Snape had told them, which had been only minimal, but had been certainly enough for the students to get a very clear picture of what had been going on.  
  
Whatever Voldemort was, he certainly wasn't cocky, which was why the attack had surprised everyone. No one had died, and Voldemort hadn't got to Harry, mostly thanks to Dumbledore. Harry had just begun to lose the haunted look in his eyes that came from the guilt he felt for Cedric, Ginny thought sadly. Maybe one day, she would see him fully happy again. Maybe she herself would be the cause of that happiness.  
  
Ginny was, by nature, a very hopeful person. One doesn't wait around for a blocke for six long years and not be hopeful. Still, she had almost lost all of her hope until this summer. Harry was looking better, and had started treating her like a potential friend instead of just his best friend's sister, a definite improvement.  
  
There were times, though, when he thought no one was looking, and he relapsed into feelings of guilt. Ginny wished desperately to be the one to wipe all that from his eyes. Maybe if he would just tell someone what happened the night of Cedric Diggory's death, but Ginny stopped herself, and crawled back into bed.  
  
**  
  
Saturday passed quickly for the Gryffindors enjoying their day off. Harry waited eagerly for their four o'clock tea. It would be the first time he'd ever just visited with Anna, Sirius, and Remus. Now that Hagrid was dead, they really were his only family, besides the Weasleys.  
  
At just after three, Ginny came rushing down the stairs. "I didn't miss it, did I?"  
  
Her cheeks were flushed with sleep, and even though she'd put on her robes, her hair had wild, tiny wisps sticking out all over. The sight of her made Harry smile.  
  
"No, it's a little after three just now," Harry said then returned his attention to the chessboard for a second. The chess pieces he'd gotten in his Christmas crackers first year had, thankfully, more faith in him than Ron's chess pieces did. "Bishop to C8," he announced and grinned broadly as Ron furrowed his brow.  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow, but Ron didn't look so worried after he had his queen destroy Harry's bishop. A short time later, Harry knew he was in for it. Just one more move, and Ron would have him beat. His fingers tapped against the table, but Ron just looked at him with a vacant expression on his face. Harry reached into his hair and massaged his scalp. Thinking became much harder when Ginny was in the room, he noted.  
  
"I can't do anything, can I?" He looked up from the chessboard into Ron's victory grin.  
  
"No, you're pretty much stuck," Ginny said.  
  
Harry knocked his king over, and Ron's mouth broke into an even wider smile. "You almost had me, Harry. You're getting much better. But see, if you'd have moved your knight about twenty moves back this way."  
  
Ron began to manipulate the pieces, and Harry followed him, his eyes revealing nothing. After a minute or so, Harry began to ask questions, and the two of them pretty much replayed the whole game.  
  
At a quarter till four, Hermione stood up, and brushed off her robes. Ron and Harry, seeing this, set about putting the chess pieces back in the box that they used to store both sets of chess pieces.  
  
Ginny watched them from a sofa. The three of them had a rhythm just from being together for so long. They didn't need to speak a word to each other to know what was going on. She felt the tiniest prick of envy, but it was quashed when Harry put on a light cloak, and handed Ginny hers. It was cool for September, but not cool enough to warrant a heavy winter garment.  
  
"We're not going to be late, you know," Hermione said as Ron helped into her cloak.  
  
"I know, I just." Harry ended his half-statement with a shrug.  
  
"Let's be on our way, then," Ginny almost sang.  
  
Their conversation was light on the way to the hut. Jokes were exchanged, and Harry and Ginny watched in amusement as Hermione and Ron got into a brief row over nothing in particular. Talk about their classes got them some of the way there, and Ginny asked Hermione a question about the Nightshade Potion they were studying in Potions.  
  
Anna, Remus and Sirius also came up, and Harry entertained them all with a story about a misadventure he'd had with his two temporary guardians over the summer.  
  
They were in stitches when they reached the door, and found themselves unable to mange to knock. Remus's expression when he opened the door was enough to set them off again. When Harry gasped, "Just like that," it got worse.  
  
When they had calmed down enough, Remus gestured towards the inside. "Come on in."  
  
The room had changed a bit since Hagrid's death. The giant's over-sized furniture had been replaced with normal-sized. A fire crackled, even though it wasn't really cool enough to need one. The laughing immediately stopped.  
  
Anna and Sirius were sitting across from each other, and they talked quietly. Anna rose and patted Sirius' knee out of habit.  
  
"How did you sleep last night, Ginny?" Anna's voice carried a gentle tone to it, otherwise she might have bristled.  
  
"I was fine for a while, Professor."  
  
Anna's eyes narrowed. "Another dream?"  
  
Ginny nodded. "I didn't learn a thing."  
  
"Well, that's about what's to be expected."  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Sirius and Harry embrace and hold on to each other like it was a matter of life and death.  
  
"All right, Harry?" Sirius whispered.  
  
"All right. You?"  
  
"All right." The two of them grinned. Unconsciously, Anna reached for Remus's hand and found it.  
  
Grinning and chuckling, Ron and Hermione settled themselves into one armchair, Remus and Sirius occupied a couch, and Anna stood by the fire. From his position on the floor next to Ginny, Harry thought the stage was set.  
  
"There's a lot we haven't been telling you," Remus said gently.  
  
Anna and Sirius nodded, and looked like she thought that that was definitely an understatement.  
  
"We know about the first prophecy," Hermione said, "and we've been able to work some of it out."  
  
"Right. Obviously, we knew that You-Know. excuse me, Vol-Voldemort has come back," Ron agreed, looking quite pleased with himself for managing to say that name.  
  
"The first prophecy has been fulfilled, up until a line, 'takes vows under the yew'." Remus and Sirius parted in the middle to let Anna sit down between them.  
  
"That could have already happened," Ginny said. She and Harry had scooted closer together, without either one of them really noticing. Remus and Anna did, though, and grinned.  
  
"Right," Harry agreed. "But what does it mean?"  
  
"Well, the yew is a very important magical wood, with lots of valuable properties," Anna said. "Voldemort could be trying to take advantage of any one of them. That part of the prophecy is really very vague."  
  
"All prophecies are vague," Sirius said.  
  
"Sirius, we do not need to start this again. The last thing we need is a row right now." Remus narrowed his eyes at his old friend.  
  
"All right."  
  
"But it's true," Hermione said. "Divination is very imprecise, and even talented Seers with True Gifts don't always interpret their own signals correctly."  
  
"You two both have a point, however, I'm not the only one trying to work out what this prophecy means. I learned my lesson the first time."  
  
"From what I gather, there's supposed to be three prophecies, all tied together, right?" Harry now had his arm resting around Ginny's shoulders.  
  
"Yes. We only have part of the second prophecy, though. You see, Sybil Trelawney also made a prediction the same year that Anna did," Remus said. "She wrote it down, in a hurry, but burned off part of the paper in an accident. At least, that's what she tells us."  
  
"I'll bet anything that old bat knows exactly where the first part of the prophecy is," Sirius said and snorted.  
  
"Why would she lie?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Money, I'll bet."  
  
Remus rolled his eyes. "If she is lying about the location of this piece of paper, there isn't much we can do about it because we have no proof, Sirius."  
  
"I know. It just drives me insane!"  
  
"If we could find the first part of the prophecy, then we could find out why Voldemort is after me, right?"  
  
"We know why Voldemort is after you already, Ginny," Sirius said bluntly.  
  
Ginny's face went white, and Harry tightened his grip without noticing it.  
  
"He's after you for the same reason he's after me," Anna said in the same tone Remus had used. "You're a Seer, and it's always good to have one on your side. He's already asked me to join him, and you've made it clear through your actions that you'll have nothing to do with him, and he'd rather have us dead than helping Dumbledore and the Order."  
  
"That's cheerful," Ron gulped.  
  
"It's the truth," Anna said.  
  
"Well, he's right about that," Ginny said. "I don't want to have anything to do with him."  
  
"Of course not. You're a Weasley," Ron said proudly.  
  
Hermione patted his thigh. "I don't know what Voldemort was thinking, trying to take over while the seven of you and Harry were around."  
  
Everyone in the room laughed nervously.  
  
"What are we going to do about finding the rest of the second prophecy?" Ron asked.  
  
"I don't know that there's much we can do, Ron," Remus said.  
  
"There has to be some way to find it," he protested.  
  
"Perhaps if we had the first part, it would give us a clue," Hermione suggested, and everyone could tell she was eager to start.  
  
"Right," Anna said. "I suppose there's no harm in letting you see it."  
  
"I would think it would be to our advantage to see it," Ginny said, her eyes piercing her teacher's, "considering it's about us." She gestured at Harry and herself.  
  
Anna blushed. "Well, we didn't want you two to think that your relationship was not a choice you two were making."  
  
"Our relationship?" Ginny asked, shocked. "I thought it would be about how we were supposed to defeat Voldemort."  
  
Harry blinked.  
  
"Oh, damn. I've gone and opened my mouth at the wrong time again, haven't I?" 


	13. Black Moods

Respectfully dedicated to Matchbox Twenty, Ringo John-Paul George, and Snuffles, for keeping me company in the two and a half hours it took me to write this.  
  
Special thanks to Meg, who unblocked me a few chapters back.  
  
Tested In Fire, Chapter 12:  
  
Sirius Black was in a dark mood. He slammed doors, pounded tables, and generally made a lot of noise.  
  
The afternoon tea with his godson hadn't gone exactly as planned, and that was the understatement of the century.  
  
It wasn't that Sirius didn't believe in Divination--it was hard to disbelieve when your sister was a Seer--he just didn't trust it, and he didn't trust the way everyone was treating this prophecy like it was the answer. The answer was good old-fashioned common sense, in his opinion. Besides, it was belief and trust in this prophecy that had got James and Lily killed.  
  
Now Anna was back. Contact with her after his escape and been impossible, as Fudge and the Ministry had been monitoring her. Funny how life never worked out the way you wanted it to. Sirius had believed the Ministry to be on the side of right. He had thought, in all of his naiveté, that the Ministry would give him a fair trial, so that he could nail Peter. Barty Crouch hadn't given Sirius a fair trial--he hadn't given him a trial at all- -and Peter was now one of Voldemort's most trusted servants.  
  
Sirius tried to shake off such thoughts. Brooding on the unchangeable past wasn't a help to anyone, least of all himself. Damn, but it was good to see Anna every day. The two of them had long talks together, and everything in the past was forgiven, if not forgotten, which was a huge weight off his shoulders.  
  
Plopping down into a chair, Sirius began to massage his temples. He felt the beginnings of a headache coming on, so he turned to the one man who had always been able to advise him, never mind the fact that he was now dead.  
  
"I need you, James, old friend," he whispered to the ceiling. "He's falling in love, you know. Both of 'em. And there's nothing I can do about it, not that I would do anything about it." Sirius heaved a sigh. "Yeah, I know Remus never fell out of love. Anna never did either." The smile he forced was pain-filled. "I know I've got to make it through this, if only for Harry's sake. But, James, never did I need you like I do now. You and Lily. You'd both know what to say. To me, and to Harry." He let out a sarcastic chuckle. "I'm supposed to be his guardian. That's what I promised. I don't know what to do, though. He's found the girl. You know, the one that makes him light up like you did. You also know that that's going to complicate things to no end."  
  
Sirius kicked off his shoes and laid his head against the back of the chair. "Anna's gone and opened up her mouth. Now they're going to fight what they're feeling because they don't want their lives controlled, or something absurd like that, if they're anything like you and Lily. Remus and Anna embraced it, and look where it got them. Maybe there isn't a solution to this problem that works."  
  
He stopped talking, and his eyes moved about the room, as though he were trying to hear an answer from above.  
  
There was a quiet knock. "Sirius?" Remus's voice cut through his silent contemplation. "What are you doing in there?"  
  
"Talking with ghosts," Sirius answered as he got up and opened the door for his old friend.  
  
"That's believable, especially on a night like this. I had a conversation with the Grey Lady on the way over."  
  
That particular comment got him a half-hearted smile out of Sirius. "My ghosts weren't as responsive."  
  
"Mmm. It's easy to remember them here, isn't it?"  
  
"Almost too damn easy. What are we going to do, Remus?"  
  
"I don't know. This never gets any easier, does it?"  
  
"He looks too much like James. It throws me off. I almost called him 'James' the other day in class."  
  
"It gets worse every day," Remus agreed. "I make that mistake too, you know."  
  
"He even sounds like James, now that his voice has changed." Sirius ran an agitated hand through his hair.  
  
"He's not James, though," Remus said, echoing Sirius's thoughts.  
  
"I know. James never looked so-haunted. That night in his fourth year, only thing I wanted was to be able to take him home with me. You know those Muggles he lived with only made it worse. They couldn't care less about him watching the death of a classmate, or dealing with the murderer of his parents."  
  
"I understand, Sirius. We'll have him with us for the Christmas holidays, provided he wants to come down."  
  
Sirius breathed out through his nose gently. "Ah, Remus, you've hit the target exactly. I'm finally getting a chance to be his godfather. Am I going to be good at it?"  
  
"You're already more than Harry's ever had, Sirius."  
  
"That's not saying much."  
  
"It means a lot to him. You need each other. Harry's going to be asking your advice a lot, if we haven't totally gone daft."  
  
Sirius chuckled. "He's not the only one in that situation, Remus, and you know exactly what I mean."  
  
Remus sighed. "We both know that I don't deserve your sister's love. There's nothing to it. Just drop it, all right?"  
  
Sirius's eyes brightened. Unlike his own insecurities, Remus's were something he could handle. "Why the hell not?"  
  
"You're her brother. Do you honestly want a werewolf touching her, loving her?"  
  
"I never saw you as just a werewolf, Moony. I never had much control over my sister's hurt, and besides, if it has to be someone, I would rather it be you."  
  
"Why? What if I hurt her? What if I.?"  
  
"Snap her in half like a twig? Come on, Remus. You're smarter than this. Anna's a lot stronger than you think she is, anyway. Besides," Sirius shrugged, "you need each other."  
  
Remus felt his jaw physically drop. "How did you arrive at that conclusion?"  
  
Sirius grinned. "You're the only one that can force her to take care of herself. She's the only one that can make those transformations of yours less painful. Before, during, and after. You know that. Don't even try to deny it."  
  
Remus threw up his hands. "What if she doesn't want me?"  
  
"The issue has never been whether or not she wants you and it was never your disease, either. She stills wears her engagement ring on a chain, for heaven's sake! The issue is whether or not you, Remus Lupin, are ready to admit that someone as amazing as my sister is in love with you, despite all the baggage you think you bring to a relationship."  
  
Remus turned away. "We've got to move on with our lives," he said flatly. "We both gave up on the idea of there ever being an 'us' a long time ago."  
  
"Horse shit. Denial isn't just the name of a river in Egypt, you know. Moony," his voice fell to a whisper, "we're all getting a second chance at living again."  
  
"The rest of us have been living, Sirius, and if it's so easy, how come you haven't owled Elizabeth?" The moment he said it, Remus regretted it. "Sirius-I'm."  
  
"No, it's okay. She didn't wait for me." Sirius shrugged. "Some reporter from the Daily Prophet."  
  
There was a catch in Sirius's voice that told Remus it wasn't okay. "Anna waited for you, Remus. That's something."  
  
**  
  
Harry couldn't sleep. Too much had happened that day. If Anna was correct, he was going to have a relationship with.Ginny Weasley. All predicted years before either one of them was born. Was it all set in stone? Was he a pawn in someone's chess game?  
  
Irritated with himself, he pushed back the covers. He pondered taking his Invisibility Cloak, but decided against it. He was, after all, only going to the Common Room, to stare at the flames of the fire.  
  
He padded down the stairs. Looking out at the Common Room, he could just make out the shape of a redheaded teenage girl rocking back and forth on the rug in front of the fire.  
  
"Ginny," he called, hoping not to startle her. Unfortunately, it didn't work. She jumped, blushed, and tried to stammer out a greeting.  
  
Finally she managed, "Hello, Harry."  
  
For his part, Harry didn't feel much like talking. He sat down in an armchair, determined not to say anything. After a long moment of silence, he couldn't bear it anymore and asked, "What are you doing down here?"  
  
"Last time I checked, I belong in Gryffindor," Ginny said fiercely, "which gives me as much right as anyone to be down here."  
  
Harry blinked. In his admittedly short experience, Ginny wasn't at all snappish. There was an awkward silence, and then they both said, "I'm sorry," at the same time.  
  
"You first," Ginny insisted.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for my question to sound like that."  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut into you like that." Ginny smiled.  
  
Harry felt himself go red, which he supposed wasn't going to be unusual. From what Anna had let slip, it seemed like Ginny was supposed to be his future wife, or something. "Not that that's ever going to happen unless I can have a conversation with her," Harry thought ruefully.  
  
"This prophecy business makes everything different, doesn't it?" Harry asked, tentatively.  
  
"There's that," Ginny conceded, and pulled her legs up close to her body. "It'd be much easier on me if I didn't have these dreams."  
  
Harry leaned forward quite suddenly, and there was a glint in his eyes that Ginny didn't understand. "Maybe the dreams can help, Gin."  
  
Ginny bit her lip. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Maybe there's more to them than what you think."  
  
"They never show me anything important." Ginny's voice trailed off.  
  
"At this stage, we don't know what's important or not. Come on, Gin. There has to be something to this. Anything would be a help, especially since we don't know if Voldemort has his hands on that second prophecy or not."  
  
The heat of the fire on the back of her nightdress making her extremely hot, and Ginny sifted uncomfortably. There was something in his eyes that compelled her to tell him everything and anything he wanted to know.  
  
"All right," Ginny said. "Let's do this." Searching her memory, she began to tell Harry everything she knew.  
  
"Normally, they don't start off scary. They're usually from your Mum's point of view, and they don't go in any particular order." Ginny talked for what seemed like forever, while Harry sat motionless, taking it all in.  
  
"Okay," Harry said minutes later, "lately they've been in chronological order?"  
  
Ginny thought for a moment. "Yes, but only just recently. How does that help us any?"  
  
"I don't know, Gin. I feel like I'm grasping at straws here."  
  
"They always have something to do with your parents. That's a pattern we can't ignore. Whatever's happening now, to us, is the same thing that happened to your Mum and Dad, or it's closely related."  
  
Harry rubbed his eyes. "Right. Sounds reasonable to me. So then, the only question is, what exactly happened?"  
  
"That's the tough question," Ginny remarked. "I don't know that Sirius, Remus, or Anna even knows what really happened."  
  
"Why would Mum and Dad keep something like that from them?"  
  
"Perhaps they thought they'd be around to tell you about it personally. Besides, it was just a thought. Still, for people trying desperately to keep us alive, they seem to be in the dark a bit more than I would like."  
  
"You and me both," Harry agreed. "Unless, of course, they're just keeping information from us."  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm infinitely familiar with that tactic. It doesn't generally work for me."  
  
"Me neither," Harry said. There was silence in the room while the two of them thought.  
  
Ginny let out a frustrated sigh. "There has to be something-someone that can help us sort this mess out!"  
  
"What about Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked.  
  
"Good idea. We might get something out of him we didn't know before, but you have to admit that he hasn't told us a lot that we didn't already work out for ourselves," Ginny added.  
  
Harry nodded, then his eyes lit. "There's always that book that Percy gave me about the former Head Boys. I haven't had time to look it over."  
  
"Maybe there's a clue in there, but I'd really hate to get my hopes up," Ginny said.  
  
Harry nodded again, but deep in his heart he knew that he had to get his hopes up. He had to have something to cling to.  
  
"I just want him gone, once and for all," he muttered.  
  
"I agree wholeheartedly," Ginny announced, and then tried to stifle a yawn.  
  
"Do you think you can sleep now?" Harry asked.  
  
"I haven't truly slept in ages," Ginny said wistfully. "Sleep would be nice."  
  
Harry couldn't help himself. He reached out and brushed back a piece of her hair. He found himself wondering if what he was feeling was real. Was this some prophecy-wrought crush? He didn't like the idea of something dictating what he did.  
  
"What are we going to do about this?" Ginny asked softly, rubbing Harry's hand, a tender expression in her eyes.  
  
"I don't know. This has my whole system off," Harry replied, just as softly.  
  
"It sort of hurts that all the noticing you did over the summer was all because of a prophecy," Ginny said bitterly.  
  
"I doubt that it was all because of the prophecy," Harry said, and chuckled and Ginny's expression. "If you didn't have six very large, very strong brothers, all the blokes at Hogwarts would be after you. As it is, only the Gryffindors would be brave enough to risk it."  
  
He was treated to another eye roll. "That's so inconvenient. I really wish they wouldn't be so protective."  
  
"It's probably more of a good thing than you realize," Harry whispered softly.  
  
Quickly, almost nervously, Ginny stood up. "Good night, Harry Potter," she whispered and brushed her lips across his cheek.  
  
Dazed, Harry watched her walk up to the fifth-year girls' dormitory. Only after she had entered her room did he allow himself to caress the spot her lips had touched. "Goodnight, Ginny Weasley." **  
  
Far off, away from Hogwarts, Voldemort chuckled. Everything was going according to plan. Nagini wrapped herself at his feet and Voldemort caressed her.  
  
"Yes, indeed," he said. "Potter is falling for the youngest Weasley. How convenient is that? It's very convenient. Do you know why?"  
  
The circle of Death Eaters behind him shook their heads in confusion. "Because love, my friends, is a weakness. The only thing love is good for is reproduction, and we certainly don't want any other Potters around. Love is an illusion, and don't believe anyone who tells you differently. There is one good thing about love, though. A Potter in love is as good as dead." A few of the circle allowed themselves smug grins. "Of course, they also become fiercely protective. Hmph. It will only increase my pleasure in the kill." Now there was a generous helping of shudders.  
  
Just then there was a scuffle about. "What is this?" Voldemort asked crossly. "What is this disturbance?"  
  
"It's Wormtail, my Lord," a voice whispered from the back.  
  
"Is everything ready, rat?"  
  
"Yes, Master. Everything is in place to capture the Weasley." A few of the Death Eaters looked shocked.  
  
"You didn't think I planned to just kill him, did you? No, I plan on destroying him. From the inside out." Voldemort grinned.  
  
It was a nasty sight, but those in the room with him hid their revulsion. There was one particular Death Eater in the circle who felt like throwing up. However, he was good at schooling his expressions and kept himself calm.  
  
"By the end of this year, I will be rid of the Potter family once and for all!"  
  
**  
  
Caught on Fire Lately? Tested In Fire Fans Discuss upcoming chapters, the relationship between Remus & Anna, TIF versus canon; whatever you want! 


	14. The Ties That Bind the Heart No Mortal S...

Author's Note: Enter the twisted mind of Peter Pettigrew. My beta pointed out that this scene was "not enjoyable to read", and I have to agree with her. It was even worse to write. This particular chapter is for Risa, because she's the inspiration for a number of characters; plus she sits in on my whine sessions.  
  
On a light note, I encourage those of you who are reading this carefully to join my Yahoo! Discussion group, located here: Tested In Fire Fans. We'd love to have you!  
  
Tested In Fire Chapter 13: Ties That Bind the Heart No Mortal Shall Break  
  
Peter sat in his corner of his room. It was the only part of the space he felt was really his. It was only in this place that he could talk without anyone making fun of him. Over the summer, with Voldemort wanting more and more from his servant, and demanding more sacrifices on the part of all the Death Eaters, he had found himself slipping slowly into a pool that seemed bottomless to him. To anyone who asked, he would deny outright that he was insane, but privately, he wondered. Voldemort, with the excuse of wanting to become more powerful, was slowly draining Peter's power from him, and a number of other Death Eaters who were considered "weak". Peter had been reassured that this was all to the good, and that since he was nearly powerless anyway, it wouldn't affect him. Now he found himself stranded, lost without his rock of magic, what little there had to begin with, to hang on to as he had in the past. Rocking back and forth to the rhythm of his self-pitying sobs, he began to talk to himself in different voices.  
  
"Wormtail, Wormtail. You've betrayed me again," the voice of a young James Potter said to him.  
  
"No, no, James! I tried to save Harry, you know I did!"  
  
"He's not dead yet, no thanks to you."  
  
"But it is thanks to me! I've tried so hard, but my Master. he won't let me."  
  
"I know all about your Master. The one you sold me out for. You were no better than Severus was, Peter. I don't know what I was thinking, letting you in the Marauders."  
  
"You loved me! Lily loved me!"  
  
"Lily never loved you, worm. In fact, you and your advances disgusted her. There is a reason why your Animagus form was a rat, you know."  
  
"No, James, no! I loved Lily!"  
  
"Lily was, and is, mine. Forever. We died together, died trying to save our son. You can't take away that bond, Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"Harry could make it through this if he would just."  
  
"Just what, Peter? Forget about his destiny? He's a Potter, of my own flesh and blood. You can't make him deny his heritage."  
  
"But I can, James. Oh, I can. You always thought you were so clever, but you weren't. I was the brainy one, and I've worked out a way."  
  
"Don't lie, Peter. The plan you've devised will never work. It will only make Harry more determined than ever."  
  
Peter turned away, but he could not escape the image and voice of the man who was once his best friend.  
  
"Have you ever thought of what you're doing to Sirius and Remus, Peter? The moves you made over the summer encouraged them rather than discouraged them. Hogwarts is that much safer with those two there. My two true friends are at Hogwarts, Peter, protecting my son. I wouldn't have it any other way. Just you try to get through them, Peter. You know what happened the last time!"  
  
"James, help me, please! I don't want to work for Voldemort."  
  
"You made your decision, long ago. You abandoned me. I owe you nothing."  
  
With that, the ghostly outline of James disappeared, and was replaced by the softer image of a woman with long red hair and green eyes.  
  
"Peter, Peter, Peter. What have you gone and done this time?" Her voice was sympathetic, but it had an edge to it that had Peter edging back into his corner.  
  
"I've done nothing."  
  
"Nothing, is it? You're personally responsible for the murder of hundreds of people. You're working on a plan to kill off the remaining Marauders, the only ones at Hogwarts who cared about you, and that's nothing?" Her voice had reached a peak, and she was practically yowling.  
  
"No, no. They weren't the only ones who cared for me. They never cared for me at all, really. The only person who cares for me is Voldemort."  
  
"Voldemort cares for no one but himself, and you know that better than anyone. Don't you think it's time these wounds were avenged, Peter? It's time you and Remus and Sirius confronted each other."  
  
"No, they'll kill me!"  
  
"Wormtail." The harsh voice of Severus Snape was enough to snap him back to reality.  
  
"Snape." He rose in a fluid motion, all signs of his dementia hidden from his face. Scanning Snape's face quickly to determine what all he had seen, he concluded that the Professor had noticed nothing unusual. He couldn't have been more wrong. "What do you want?"  
  
"Lord Voldemort wants to see you. Now. Your plan is underway."  
  
**  
  
At Hogwarts, everyone from the third years on up were awaiting the first Hogsmeade weekend, which was falling early this year due to suspected Death Eater attacks if Hogwarts maintained any sort of schedule from year to year, with barely contained excitement. Third years were told lies about the dangers of the Shrieking Shack, which Harry, Ron and Hermione knew was decidedly not haunted and harmless to all who entered its doors, regardless of what their intent was. Fourth years reminisced about their first trips to the pretty village while fifth years simply couldn't wait to restock their sweet supplies at Zonko's, or to buy a bottle of Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.  
  
Lessons passed quickly, and soon the day arrived that was to change the lives of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys forever.  
  
The trip started off innocently enough with a trip to Zonko's.  
  
"Ron, what are you doing?" Hermione asked once they were inside the store. Ron had begun to point randomly at sugar quills, muttering a rhyme underneath of his breath.  
  
"Making a decision."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly. Don't you have a favorite?"  
  
"Of course I have a favorite. What do you take me for? My only concern is whether or not I'd get sick of them if I bought to many, so I like to spread my money around."  
  
"Why don't you spend this much time thinking about your homework?" Hermione demanded.  
  
"Well," Ron said and stroked his upper lip thoughtfully, "there's homework, and then there's food. At this point in time, food is, by far, more important."  
  
Ginny and Hermione shared an exasperated sigh, but Harry nodded his agreement.  
  
"Besides," Ron continued as he inspected the feathers on a strawberry- cheesecake flavored quill, "it's the weekend. It's my policy never to think about homework on the weekend."  
  
"You don't think about homework ever," Hermione shot back.  
  
"I do too. I just don't spend hours agonizing over it."  
  
As the fight grew more intense, Ginny and Harry moved to another section of the store.  
  
"You know," Ginny said, amusement coloring her voice, "their fighting has got worse since they made their relationship official."  
  
Harry shrugged. "Yeah, but now they can kiss and make up."  
  
Ginny grinned. "Maybe they fight just so they can make up."  
  
Harry turned quickly and caught the mischievous glint in Ginny's eyes. "Was that an insinuation, Miss Weasley?"  
  
Ginny raised her eyebrows at the raised pitch of his voice and made the connection. He was imitating a teacher. "Well, Mr. Potter," she drawled, "insinuate this."  
  
She was about to touch her lips with his when there was a sharp hacking sound from behind them.  
  
"Get a room," Ron managed.  
  
"That sounds familiar," Harry muttered under his breath, but denied he had said anything when the taller Weasley boy questioned him.  
  
"Come on, let's go," Hermione's voice broke through their quiet debate. "I have a huge craving for a Butterbeer."  
  
"The real thing, not that Light stuff that Lavender and Patil are," Ginny agreed, and the two girls linked arms, much like little children who had recently discovered their best friend. As they set off at a brisk pace, they fell to discussing the absurdness of the diet fad that was sweeping through the wizarding world.  
  
The Three Broomsticks was loud on this particular afternoon as most of the Hogwarts students piled in to refresh themselves after an hour of shopping. When Harry and Ron entered through the door, the girls had already seated themselves and were chatting away happily. They had, however, paused briefly in the conversation to pull over two chairs so that the boys could seat themselves.  
  
"So, Harry, who do you think will make Quidditch captain this year?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. They're supposed to have it posted in the Common Room this evening when we get back. All of last year's seventh years that I talked to wouldn't say a word."  
  
"Fred and George wouldn't tell me a thing. Of course, everyone thinks you're going to get it." There was a slight lull until a Madam Rosmerta came over to their table. "We'll have four Butterbeers, please," Ron said and followed her appreciatively with his eyes until she disappeared behind the counter. Hermione, noticing this, gave him a gentle reminder kick underneath the table. When he looked up, she was smiling sweetly. "Would you take the Captain position?" he asked, trying to nonchalantly rub his shin. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite pull it off as he kept wincing whenever he made contact with the tender area.  
  
"I dunno," Harry said after a moment. "I think I would. Imagine that."  
  
"It hasn't ever occurred to you before, has it?" Ron asked, shaking his head. "Blimey, Harry."  
  
"It's a little bit difficult to think beyond today, for some reason," Harry responded.  
  
Ron nodded. They both understood what he was talking about, and no further words were exchanged.  
  
Harry found himself lost, wondering if his father's friends were comfortable like this, wondering where his father's so-called friend Peter Pettigrew was right now, wondering if Remus and Anna had finally accepted each other.  
  
"Harry," Ginny whispered fiercely to him. "Come back to us. I don't know where you've gone, but we'd like to have your opinion on something."  
  
Harry snapped back. "Sorry," he stammered, embarrassed. "What did I miss?"  
  
Apparently the conversation had turned, as did so often in their conversations now, to talk of the prophecy that seemed to be ruling their lives and loves.  
  
"What bothers me," Hermione said, "is why we can't even find that half of the other prophecy that Professor Trelawney claimed to have saved."  
  
Harry shook his head. "I'd feel much better if we knew that this was really a true prophecy."  
  
"Well, Anna was the first Seer, so we have to assume that at least that much is true," Hermione said.  
  
"Right, but most of that prophecy has already been fulfilled. Obviously Anna has seen the second prophecy, but why can't she remember it?" Ginny asked. "Also, what did James and Lily know that they weren't sharing with their closest friends? They had to have known something."  
  
"We've been over all of this already," Ron objected. "We need to work on actions, not just talking."  
  
"What are we going to do about it? Arrest Professor Trelawney and demand that she tell us where the second part is located?" Hermione replied sarcastically. "Honestly, until we find out something new, there's not much that we can do."  
  
"The second prophecy has landed in the hands of the Evil One."  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to look in bewilderment at Ginny, who was speaking in a voice most unlike her own.  
  
"The stag's son must search in places very close for something that the flower wrote- Night is falling on the world, my friends, Darkness encompassing all your might-have-beens, Be alert, be true to thyself, One of your number is soon to vanish. A traitor among our midst, there is. Trust no one, trust only in love. For what love binds, no mortal can break, Love is the power that is at stake, Love behinds two of lion-hearts, As it has in the past, as will in times unknown. Tomes may guide the clever and wise, Loyalty those with a bit of spine, Ambition guides those with eyes set high, But love is the courage that knows no bounds-not even the sky. Time will tell who the victor is, but those with loyalty, ambition and love Should soar above, like the dove. The Dark Lord knows not of two, of one he understands, But even those restricted to labels can break their bands."  
  
Ginny gave a shudder and shook her head, as if to clear of cobwebs and dust. "What happened?"  
  
Hermione leaned forward and rested her head on her folded hands. "You have just given us the clues that will help us solve the first part of our mystery, that's what happened."  
  
Ginny sat back wearily. "Oh."  
  
Harry rubbed his eyes. "Did you catch all of that, Hermione?"  
  
Grinning, Hermione nodded. "Every word."  
  
Ron pulled it over to inspect it. "It doesn't sound like a happy prophecy to me."  
  
"Voldemort has the second prophecy," Harry said, disgusted, and slouched back against the frame of his chair.  
  
"That doesn't matter. Apparently your mother had another copy, Harry."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, isn't it obvious? 'The stag's son must search in places very close for something that the flower wrote.' That means your mum must have made another copy, or even better yet, had the meaning of it worked out and written down."  
  
"Yes, but where to begin looking?"  
  
"That, I don't know. You'll have to ask Sirius or Remus or Anna."  
  
"I'm sure they'd know, Harry," Ron agreed excitedly, "then maybe you can get this prophecy mess out of the way and Voldemort will be defeated."  
  
"I don't think it's going to be that easy."  
  
"Doesn't seem to you like the other two prophesies point to the second prophecy as the key to defeating the Dark Lord?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry nodded. "It seems that way."  
  
A wild look entered Ginny's eye. "Oh no," she groaned in her slightly fey voice.  
  
Just then there was a loud explosion that racked the entire building. Tables flew over, bodies jumped out of the way and a large smoke fog covered the ground and permeated the air.  
  
Harry, Ginny and Hermione made it out quickly, following the crowd of panicked witches and wizards who were trying to leave the hot and burning building quickly.  
  
Looking around desperately, Hermione asked, with panic in her eyes, "Where's Ron?" 


	15. A Dangerous Rescue

This chapter is dedicated to Anne, in whose honor I dictated this whole thing with an "outrageous accent" in hopes that any birthday present from the Queens is as hilarious as Rune's was. Don't listen to her deny it, you know she was in charge. LOL!  
  
Tested In Fire, Chapter 14: A Dangerous Rescue  
  
This chapter is rated "R". Several passages are graphic and violent. Please note: Voldemort is evil. He's going to do bad things. If you have a problem with that, stop reading Tested In Fire, because in this fic, he will continue to do them. Regardless of whether his intended victim is a main character or not.  
  
Ron Weasley was in trouble, and he knew it. He had a couple of problems: one, he didn't know where he was; and two, he was pretty sure the men dragging him by his armpits were Death Eaters. Also, he was pretty sure that his left leg was broken, leaving him unable to help himself by running away.  
  
They stopped in a clearing surrounded on all sides by trees that Ron would later learn were yew. Ron closed his eyes and tried to think. If only Hermione were here with him. Was Hermione still alive? What about Harry and Ginny?  
  
Quickly, he instructed himself not to panic. "Panic is a state where you cannot think. And when you cannot think, ladies and gentlemen, then you are as good as dead." Professor Black's words returned to him with great clarity. Swallowing, he decided could handle this.  
  
Soon, the situation was made worse by the appearance of none other than Voldemort himself. Now, Ron had never personally encountered the Dark Lord, but he had heard enough from Harry to have a fair idea what the man. thing, looked like.  
  
The Dark Lord's looked terrifying. His eyes were sunken in and red. His pupils were so small Ron could hardly make out that they were there at all. He wore inky black robes and moved in a smooth fluid motion that could have been called graceful if it wasn't so unnatural.  
  
"Wormtail," said the slightly raspy voice. "What is this?"  
  
"Potter's best friend, my Lord. Ronald Weasley."  
  
"You were supposed to bring me the Seer."  
  
Ron watched in horror as Voldemort's pupils grew smaller. He felt a sudden urge to faint, but wouldn't allow himself as he realized that Voldemort was talking about his sister.  
  
"We couldn't get to him," said someone who sounded desperate.  
  
"Idiots. Fools. Incompetent bastards. Morons. Crucio. Crucio. Crucio."  
  
As Voldemort cast the Unforgivable Curse on three selected Death Eaters, Ron tried to cover his ears to avoid the screams, but he could not.  
  
Much to Ron's disgust, Voldemort talked over the screams. "You did not carry out the plan. Now we are behind, and Dumbledore is more than likely aware of our knowledge. That will be enough of the screaming. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, hold the curse for me." Without a blink, he casted a Silencing Charm over his three victims. Ron almost gagged at the expression on their faces. Mouths open in silent screams, their eyes pleaded for some relief, any relief.  
  
"Please, Master, Potter had her and the other girl out of the room before we could react."  
  
Ron nearly sighed with relief. Hermione and Ginny were okay. They were alive, and so was Harry. Somehow that made the peril at hand much easier to deal with.  
  
"Did I say you could talk? Crucio!"  
  
Ron concentrated on not moving. If Voldemort didn't see him moving, maybe he wouldn't direct any of his attention toward him.  
  
"Finite Incantatem." Voldemort waved his wand carelessly, and the screaming stopped. The four Death Eaters who had been stupid enough to voice their objections sagged against the trees that they had backed up against. "I should kill you all for idiocy. Lucky enough for you, this boy isn't useless." Ron went white. "Bring him to me."  
  
The Death Eaters looked at each other, then moved as a unit towards Ron. Weak from his injuries, Ron tried to rise up and run, but couldn't. Voldemort laughed at his efforts.  
  
"Ah, yes. Even if I didn't know your name, I'd know you were a Weasley. Interfering gits, that's what your lot is. Always so concerned about what's right and wrong."  
  
"That's better than what I can say for you," Ron spat back, despite the fact that he was shaking like a sapling in the wind.  
  
"The Gryffindor bravery, I see. Stupid boy. Don't you see it's your loyalty to your friend that's got you into this mess? Tell me all that you know about the prophecies, and I'll let you go free."  
  
"I don't think so," Ron said defiantly.  
  
Voldemort cocked his head to one side and let out a very snake-like hiss. "The prophecy said that you would refuse me. If you won't talk willingly, I can make you talk unwillingly. I doubt you have Potter's ability to block the effects of the Imperius Curse. However, I have time. I'm afraid that, while enjoyable, Imperio isn't as entertaining as some others I know. Let's try this one on for size."  
  
Ron thought, as Voldemort raised his wand, that he sounded like a tailor discussing the best fit of a robe, rather than an evil Dark Lord trying to get out of him information necessary to take over the wizarding world. "Severe!" Voldemort shouted.  
  
Ron screamed. The pain was enormous, like hot knives on a fresh point of pressure every other second in his leg.  
  
"This lovely little spell is ripping your tendons apart in your right leg, one by one. It's quite useless now. Even if you were to get to medical help in the next forty-eight hours, I doubt they would do much for you. Still, there are always wooden legs. I'd be more than happy to provide you with one. After you tell me about the prophecy and your sister."  
  
"You'll get nothing out of me," Ron managed to gasp.  
  
"Severe!" This time the pain was focused on his left leg. Ron bit his lip until tears came to his eyes, and then moaned. An image of Hermione, smiling over Butterbeer came to him, and he managed to smile.  
  
"Fool! There is nothing to laugh about! There is no one here that would help you!" Ron saw the maniac gleam in Voldemort's eye and tried to repress a shudder. "Crucio!"  
  
Ron felt his whole body arch, but he wasn't within his mind; he was sitting someplace lovely, someplace warm. Gryffindor common room, he realized with a start. He was sitting across from Harry at chessboard, and he was winning, as usual. Harry shook his head and smiled at his friend.  
  
"I will not tell you anything!" Ron shouted, feeling a burst of strength from deep within him.  
  
"You will tell me. I can make you tell me." Voldemort raised his wand over Ron's body again, and was about to cast a spell when there was a POP!  
  
"Professor Dumbledore," Voldemort sneered. "How kind of you to join us."  
  
"Alas, Tom, I'm afraid I cannot stay. I've only dropped in to retrieve Mr. Weasley."  
  
"My name is not Tom. It's Lord Voldemort, and I'm afraid you won't be leaving here anytime soon."  
  
"Your fear is unfounded. Pertificus Totalus Maximus!"  
  
**  
  
Hermione was lost. Sitting on a sofa in the common room, she realized that she didn't quite know what to do. The Dark Mark over The Three Broomsticks that had risen shortly after the realization of Ron's disappearance could only mean one thing. The Death Eaters had Ron.  
  
She wanted to cry, she wanted to shout. Smashing things was looking like a definite option as well. But all she could do now was sit in the common room and wait.  
  
Dumbledore had left to rescue Ron. He seemed like the only one who had any idea where they would be taking her boyfriend.  
  
Her boyfriend. When he got back, she was going to kiss him silly, and then hug him, and then yell at him for scaring her witless. He was going to come back, she knew. No matter what others said, he was coming back alive.  
  
"Hermione." Ginny Weasley came and sat next to her, and the two of them embraced. After a time, Ginny said, "Mum and Dad are on their way up. They're going to want to see you."  
  
"I'm going to want to see them. But I just know he's not dead. I know it!"  
  
"I know it, too. If my brother were dead, we would know."  
  
"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, ignoring the obvious reference to Ginny's divination powers.  
  
"Off blaming himself. He wasn't fast enough, he should have realized it was an attack."  
  
"He's just being himself, then, isn't he?"  
  
Ginny smiled gently. "Yeah."  
  
"This sitting around is driving me nuts! I want to be doing something!"  
  
"There's nothing you or I can do."  
  
The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open with a bang, and Anna Black entered. "I heard. Oh, girls."  
  
The two of them jumped up immediately and ran to the woman that had become their confidant and a mentor over the few months they had known each other.  
  
"Anna. I'm so glad you're here," Ginny breathed.  
  
"Nonsense. You needed me, the both of you. Come here." She hugged them reassuringly, not unlike Mrs. Weasley would have. "Let's go down to the Great Hall. They'll make an announcement when Professor Dumbledore returns with Ron."  
  
"Did Remus and Sirius go get Harry?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good," Ginny said decisively. "I couldn't get through to him. Maybe they can."  
  
The Great Hall was alive with noise. People from every house waited anxiously for news of Ron's return. Hermione and Ginny were embraced, and many people took the time to murmur words of encouragement to them.  
  
They both felt as though they were in a tunnel, though. Every sense was tuned to hear Professor Dumbledore's voice, or Ron's easy footstep, or anything.  
  
Ginny was whispering her thanks to Dean when she heard Harry behind her, with Remus and Sirius close behind him.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione ran into his arms. There was where she felt the safest at the moment, and she finally let her tears loose, despite the fact that he wasn't Ron.  
  
Suddenly, everyone in the room turned to see Professor Dumbledore in the hallway. "I see that I don't have to ask for your attention. We have recovered Mr. Weasley. He is in the care of Madam Pomfrey, as he received wounds from his encounter with Lord Voldemort. Friends will be allowed to visit him tomorrow morning. Staff members, to my office. Miss Weasley, Mr. Potter, if you would join us?"  
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged glances, and Hermione looked confused that she hadn't been invited. "Miss Granger, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley will be arriving. If you could greet them and then head to my office, please?"  
  
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"Prefects, lead your housemates to their dormitories. Stick together, everyone. Staff, Harry, Ginny, please follow me."  
  
They wandered through the corridors, and ended up in front of Professor Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore gave the password ("Fizzing Whizbee"), and the gargoyle let them into the cluttered space.  
  
Remus and Sirius pushed Harry into a chair, and Anna made Ginny sit on the stool next to Harry. The adults arranged themselves like a protective barrier around the two of them.  
  
"Is Ron going to be okay? Where is he?"  
  
"Mr. Weasley will be fine, and will recover the use of his legs in two weeks. I'm afraid that there will not be any more Hogsmeade visits for the students."  
  
The adults glanced at each other, and Professor McGonagall finally spoke up. "Well, I think we all saw it coming. They'll be disappointed, but it's for their safety."  
  
"I think it's time that you all know something that I have been keeping secret for a very long time," Dumbledore said, wearily. He seemed ancient, tired. "At the time of Lily and James's death, James had the potential to be the one to overthrow Voldemort. All he needed was more time."  
  
Dumbledore stood up and began to pace. "There is a set of three prophecies, two of which I know to exist." Ginny and Harry exchanged a quick look. A million words passed between them, but neither one of them said anything. "Voldemort has one, I believe, and I have the first one. The gist of both of them is that a male of the Potter line and his redheaded mate will defeat an Evil Lord that will try to take over the wizarding world. But you all know that. I am the only one in this room that has seen the second prophecy, however, and I will tell you that if Voldemort is smart he already knows to go after Harry. and Ginny."  
  
"Why Ginny? There are lots of red-headed girls in the school," Professor Sprout said.  
  
"Because Ginny is a Seer," Anna said, rising and beginning to tick the points off on her fingers, "because Voldemort does not care for the Weasley family, because Ron is Harry's best friend, and she is the main redheaded female Harry has come in contact with, and because it's common knowledge that Ginny had a crush on Harry."  
  
Harry went bright red, and Ginny ducked her head. Remus looked shocked, and Sirius grinned. Then most of the teachers realized that Harry and Ginny had been holding hands the entire time. Professor McGonagall tried to cover her chuckle, but couldn't.  
  
"Excuse me, Professors, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are here."  
  
"Thank you, Miss Granger. You are all welcome to come inside."  
  
"Why won't Madam Pomfrey let me see Ron? What's going on here? Is he okay?" Mrs. Weasley blurted out all of this very fast, and a few people were having a hard time following her.  
  
"He'll be just fine, Molly. I'm afraid the Death Eaters were able to kidnap Ronald before any of us could do anything about it. Lord Voldemort placed a variation of the Severe Charm on the tendons in both of his legs. Luckily, he will be able to regain movement and control with a couple weeks under Madam Pomfrey's watchful care. In a few minutes, you'll be more than welcome to visit Ronald, though I fear he's unconscious and there's little you can do for him. However, one of your other children is in danger."  
  
Arthur swallowed. Harry stood up very quickly and offered his seat to Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"What exactly is going on, Professor Dumbledore?"  
  
"That's what we'd all like to know," Professor Snape growled.  
  
"Ginny is in great danger," Professor Dumbledore said, and then sat down heavily into a chair.  
  
"What?" Mrs. Weasley stood up almost as fast as she had sat down.  
  
"As I was saying before, the second prophecy revolves around the son of the stag and flower."  
  
"So, that's me," Harry said weakly, and began to rub his forehead.  
  
"Yes, but what does Ginny have to do with any of this?" Arthur asked, worriedly. "We love Harry like a son, of course, but you said that Ginny was in grave danger."  
  
"Ginny is in danger because the prophecy speaks of a 'redheaded Maiden who sees far beyond Time.'"  
  
"Nobody is supposed to know about her being a Seer, though!" Mrs. Weasley protested.  
  
"Apparently Voldemort's reach extends further than I had thought," Professor Dumbledore replied. "The young Lion and the Maiden are supposed to be the ones to defeat the Evil One, should the stag fail."  
  
"Sounds like a vague lot of rubbish to me," Mrs. Weasley muttered bitterly.  
  
Professor Dumbledore smiled. "That it does, until you realize that everything mentioned in the other prophecy is happening right now, or has happened. James never did get a chance to try to defeat Voldemort, as his plans were interrupted by an attack of Voldemort himself. Voldemort was never really interested in Lily. She was only mentioned sporadically."  
  
"That's what got Ron captured?" Harry snarled. "Some stupid prophecy that doesn't make any sense?"  
  
"Yes. I'm afraid they were going after Ginny when they grabbed Ronald instead," Professor Dumbledore said.  
  
"It's not your fault," Sirius said firmly. "Don't give me that look, young man. I know exactly what you were thinking. James was the same way," he started, but then shook his head. "I know that Ron doesn't blame you, and you shouldn't blame yourself."  
  
Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Listen to your godfather, Harry. I'm Ron's mother, and I certainly don't blame you."  
  
Arthur placed a hand on Molly's shoulder and nodded his agreement.  
  
Harry gave a frustrated sigh, and Ginny squeezed his hand.  
  
"So, Professor Dumbledore, if we're to defeat Voldemort, what's the plan?"  
  
Are you a Remus/Anna fan? Are you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next chapter to come out? Were you siriusly considering flaming me if I killed off Ron? Please, come join my Discussion Group. Post your reviews, ponder the prophecy, etc. etc. Tested In Fire Fans We'd be more than happy to have you! 


	16. Other Things

For O'Malley the alley cat, my own beloved feline, who happily sat in front of my computer screen, forcing me to work blind. Blame any typos on him.  
  
Chapter Fifteen: Other Things  
  
"Well," Professor Dumbledore sighed, "we don't really have much of a plan right now. The spell I used to rescue Ron was a variation of the full body- bind spell that requires an enormous amount of energy. I'm afraid my brain and body are very tired."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, if you could just waltz right in on Voldemort and grab Ron, why didn't you try to defeat Voldemort?" Ginny asked, confused and frustrated.  
  
"Miss Weasley!" Professor McGonagall rebuked.  
  
"No, she has a point. I'm afraid that it is most impossible to duel Tom or kill him at this point in time."  
  
Everyone in the room blinked.  
  
"Excuse me?" Professor Flitwick squeaked.  
  
"For magic to work properly," Dumbledore began in a very serious tone of voice, "there has to be balance. An equal amount of power must be distributed between those wizards whose allegiance lies with the Dark Arts, and those whose own preference is the Light. Voldemort has corrupted the balance. If he were to be destroyed without something being done about all the power he's gathered for the Dark, I hesitate to think what would happen. Unleashing all that energy without a way to contain it would have serious consequences. Storms, random transfigurations, there'd be no way to hide our existence from Muggles- if we lived through the release. Voldemort's power has only recently reached this level. If only we had managed to. But I disgress."  
  
Sirius rose quickly. "We've got to work out a way to stop him that won't cause a stir."  
  
"Seems to me we ought to banish him," Anna suggested. "That way we could contain the energy in a tangible object."  
  
"That is easier said than done, Professor Black," Dumbledore said. "I was only able to locate Voldemort this easily because of the Tracking Charm I have placed on every student here at Hogwarts."  
  
"Locating Voldemort should not be that hard of a task," Sirius said. "You have spies, don't you?"  
  
"Spies who are in grave danger and who have already lost much of their credibility with the Death Eaters, yes," Dumbledore responded. "Banishment is a very good idea, Professor Black, but we would have to banish and kill him at exactly the same time, as well as securing the power. It would be difficult, and there isn't a spell that does that in existence."  
  
"Spells can be written," said the Arthimancy professor.  
  
"True, but that takes time," Sirius shot back. "Most spells, if I recall, took decades to write."  
  
"Decades that we haven't got," Remus agreed.  
  
"Harry and Ginny are in the most danger because of this prophecy, right?" Mrs. Weasley asked, and when everyone nodded, she continued. "Then we must concentrate on protecting them and finding the second prophecy. Surely that's not too much to ask of the Order, is it? At least until we can get this spell written and worked out."  
  
"The second prophecy should be able to give us some ideas on how to defeat Voldemort, if it follows the pattern of the first," Anna mused. "Though it would be helpful if we had the third," she said and trailed off hopelessly.  
  
Harry squeezed Ginny's hand harder, and she nodded.  
  
"There's something we need to tell you all," she said.  
  
"What is it, Miss Weasley?" Snape asked irritably.  
  
"We- I mean Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I, we have the third prophecy."  
  
There was silence in the room for a minute. Anna cursed softly. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Well, we were going to, it only happened this afternoon, and."  
  
"What only happened this afternoon?" Mr. Weasley asked gently.  
  
"I only gave the third prophecy this afternoon." As she said this, Ginny leaned back against Harry's leg and closed her eyes. "Lord Voldemort definitely has the second prophecy."  
  
Hermione stood up and reached into her bag quickly. "I have a written copy of the whole thing, sir."  
  
Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Thank you, Miss Granger. That may be the single piece of good news I needed to cheer me up."  
  
"Let's have it, then," Sirius said.  
  
Professor Dumbledore took out the copy and began to read. As he did, each in the room reacted their own way. Sirius paced back and forth as Anna tapped her fingers, and Remus closed his eyes in concentration.  
  
"Love and loyalty to friends seems to be the theme in this one," Professor McGonagall said as she rubbed her eyes. "It says nothing about spells to defeat the Dark Lord, as these prophecies so aptly name him."  
  
"If only we'd paid more attention," Harry spat. "Maybe we'd have realized that."  
  
"No. There was no way you could have known that Voldemort was going to take Ron, so drop it," Ginny said violently.  
  
Everyone in the room blinked, but they were even more taken aback when Harry sat down. "You're probably right."  
  
"Of course I'm right," Ginny responded haughtily. "Honestly."  
  
"It seems to me that the prophecy itself isn't sure who will win the final battle," Professor Sprout tossed in.  
  
"That's quite likely," Anna replied. "Very rarely will a prophecy specifically predict the outcome of an event, but rather give the 'what- ifs'."  
  
"Serving only to confuse us," said someone in the background, though no one was quite sure who it was.  
  
"Sometimes I think so," Anna said with a grin.  
  
"Night is falling on the world," Professor Dumbledore quoted, and looked up at the group. "What an understatement. According to this, we have a traitor in our midst. Who is it, I wonder?"  
  
Everyone could see how tired the headmaster was growing, as he kept voicing his thoughts out loud.  
  
"I think that it's referring to Wormtail," Ginny mused. "I can't say why."  
  
"I would trust your instincts," Anna reassured her. "After all, you are the one who gave the prophecy."  
  
"Yes, but I can't remember any of it."  
  
"I would be concerned if you could."  
  
"We already know that Peter is a traitor," Sirius growled. "It's not new information."  
  
"Maybe there is more to Mr. Pettigrew than we thought," Professor Dumbledore said. "The night grows long, and there are those among us who are tired. There is nothing to be gained by staying here any longer and pounding this into the ground. I suggest we adjourn and let Molly and Arthur see Ronald, while the rest of us get some sleep. There will be another meeting soon."  
  
**  
  
Hermione made her way out of the sixth year girls' dormitory and crept slowly down the stairs, ignoring the disapproving glare the Fat Lady was giving her. She was grateful that Harry hadn't asked any questions when she'd wanted to borrow his invisibility cloak. That was one of the wonderful things about Harry. He just trusted you to know what you were doing.  
  
Ron had just woken up, but Hermione had not been able to visit him. She was going to tonight.  
  
The way to the hospital wing was one she had memorized, so there was little chance that she would get lost, but she consulted the Marauder's Map (another thing she'd borrowed from Harry) just to be sure.  
  
When she reached the door, she pulled it open quietly. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere in sight. The only person that seemed to be awake was Ron.  
  
Ron's parents had already left, as Mr. Weasley had to go to work in the morning, but Mrs. Weasley would be back in the tomorrow for a more permanent stay. At least a week, Ginny had told Hermione.  
  
With one last look around, Hermione padded over to Ron's bedside and sat down on the bed. Ron looked startled at the shift of the bed, but when Hermione removed the cloak, he smiled painfully.  
  
"Ron," she whispered. "You're awake!" She'd known that already, of course, that was why she had come down to see him, but that wasn't the point. He was alive, he was well, and he was hers!  
  
"Hermione," he responded, looking elated. "You're really here!"  
  
"Of course I'm here. Honestly, did you think I was going to let you sit in here alone for very much longer?"  
  
"I was hoping you wouldn't."  
  
"You scared me half to death," Hermione whispered seriously. Did one tell one's boyfriend that one loved him desperately as he sat in a hospital, paralyzed, Hermione wondered.  
  
"I couldn't stop thinking about you," Ron said suddenly.  
  
Hermione looked up, her eyes darting across Ron's face. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You know that disconnected feeling you get." Ron tried, and then stopped. "When Voldemort was cursing me, the only thing that kept me sane was you." He wet his lips with his tongue. "Hermione, I think I love you."  
  
Hermione grinned, touched. Even though they had been technically boyfriend and girlfriend for almost six months, they had never expressed their feelings this way. "I know I love you, Ron."  
  
She leaned forward until their foreheads were touching, and they intertwined their hands. They both closed their eyes and listened to the sound of the rise and fall of their breathing, which was strangely in unison.  
  
"Hermione?" As Ron said her name, her eyelashes fluttered up and she stared directly into his eyes. "Would you mind terribly if I kissed you right now?"  
  
Hermione shook her head, and Ron pressed his lips close against hers. It was like the very first time they had kissed. As the kiss deepened, Hermione reflected that Ron was an amazing kisser.  
  
When she felt Ron's tongue graze across her lips, she didn't hesitate to let him in. She felt Ron's strong hand muscles flex in hers, and almost grinned in pleasure. This was a kiss. Unlike anything she had ever experienced.  
  
"You're thinking too much, Hermione."  
  
"You're an amazing kisser," Hermione responded, a light twinkling in her eyes that Ron didn't see often enough.  
  
"Hmm," was his only comment before he started doing something amazing with his tongue, and Hermione couldn't think at all.  
  
**  
  
When she arrived at her dormitory, Ginny felt that she had just been through the longest day of her life. She heaved a giant sigh of relief that it was over, and settled down to rest, praying that her sleep, at least tonight, would be dreamless.  
  
The room was dimly lit, and comfortable shadows fell across the wooden floor of a home that Ginny had never visited. Ginny, for once herself in this world of her subconscious, walked carefully, curving her feet so as to make the least amount of sound. It seemed to her that the silence was almost reverent as she walked up a set of stairs to a bedroom.  
  
  
  
  
  
In fact, the stillness was almost that of the dead, but there wasn't the cold fear that Ginny usually associated with these dreams that ended more often than not in terror.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Be at peace, Virginia Weasley. If any harm were to come to you in the place, I would not be the one to commit such a sacrilege."  
  
  
  
  
  
Ginny turned, quite suddenly. The voice was familiar to her, but she couldn't place it. The woman standing in front of her was beautiful indeed. Red hair that curled and swayed covered her head. Slender and graceful and long, she made Ginny feel like an inadequate midget. Then she looked and saw the eyes, and knew instantly who it was.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Lily Potter!" she gasped, instinctively respectful.  
  
  
  
  
  
"The flower who wed the stag," Lily said with a bemused smile. "That was James and me. I'm glad you recognized me.  
  
  
  
  
  
"However, that is not the point. The point is that you and my son are in very grave danger, and I have little time to spend with you. We must use it wisely, though I would love to spend hours just talking with you."  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are you? I mean, you're dead." As she said it, Ginny blushed, but Lily laughed.  
  
  
  
  
  
"That I am, and no spell could return me to the plane of the living, nor would I wish to return. I'm something of an echo, actually."  
  
  
  
  
  
"I know we're in danger," Ginny said crossly, "and it seems as though everyone is going out of their way to make sure we know it."  
  
  
  
  
  
"They're just doing what they need to do to be good friends. If they acted like there was nothing wrong at all, you would be concerned."  
  
  
  
  
  
Ginny smiled. "You're right, of course."  
  
  
  
  
  
"We need to talk about the second prophecy. At the time James and I discovered it, neither one of us could make heads or tails of it. I think you and Harry will."  
  
  
  
  
  
Ginny could hear the love in the tone of her voice when she said the names of the men in her life, and that reassured her as nothing else would. "I think we'll try."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Again, I strayed off the topic. Professor Trelawney is not the only one who had a copy of the prophecy. I, of course, made one."  
  
  
  
  
  
" 'Search in places very close for something that the flower wrote,'" Ginny quoted.  
  
"Exactly." Lily clapped her hands twice. "You have an excellent memory. I must remember to tell James that you're intelligent.  
  
"I can't be too specific about this, it would be breaking rules, but I'll give you a hint. In all of the years between my terms at Hogwarts and yours, not much has changed. What you're looking for is five stairs up and to the left in a little closet."  
  
"Five stairs up, to the left, not much has changed," Ginny responded. "I think I've got it."  
  
"Good, because we have no time left. And Ginny?"  
  
"Yes?" Ginny raised her voice as they were both fading away.  
  
"Remember this, dear. James and I approve of what little we've been allowed to see of you.! Never doubt your love for Harry, never! It will be what will get you through these next two years. Tell Harry we love him!"  
  
Ginny smiled, but then there was no Lily in front of her anymore. She felt almost heartbroken. Muttering to herself, she tried to memorize everything that was said so that she could tell Harry. It didn't seem fair that she was the one who got to talk to Lily, she thought. Sitting down on the bed, she waited patiently for the dream to end, but it didn't.  
  
After a few minutes, Ginny got up and began to pace around the room.  
  
"Goodness," an amused voice said behind her, "don't you ever slow down, youngling?"  
  
Ginny whirled. "Grandma? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, it seemed to all of us that you needed cheering up, love. Ron will be fine, you know that. So why do you worry so?"  
  
"I have five other brothers to worry about, and it sounds like Voldemort is targeting us."  
  
"Well, why shouldn't he? We may not have money, dear, but that doesn't mean that we haven't been a very powerful family. What we have to say has a lot of clout, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think that Voldemort knew that."  
  
"What?" Ginny was lost.  
  
"Never mind, that's a lesson for another time. Rest yourself, rest your mind. Remember what that teacher told you about turning off your gift. If you wish for more sleep at night, it is best to turn off your reception, hmm?"  
  
Ginny bit her lip. "Oh, I see! Thank you, Gram."  
  
But the older woman was gone. Ginny shrugged, and feel back into a blissful and deep dreamless sleep. 


	17. True Confessions

This chapter is especially for Maria, since she requested more romance of the un-smutty kind. There's precious little of it in this chapter, but I respectfully request you wait a few more chapters.  
  
Chapter Sixteen  
  
Ron was having a hard time. He could not move his legs, which, he was told by Madam Pomfrey, was perfectly normal when none of the tendons in his legs were connected.  
  
"Perhaps if you would sit still, young man, and let the medicine do its job, you would heal that much faster," she had said to him just this very morning.  
  
The simple fact of it was that he was bored. There was very little to do in the hospital wing. He had already done all of his homework for the day, thanks to Hermione, who insisted that he get it finished before they moved on to other things.  
  
He had just finished his thirtieth game of solitaire when Ginny burst through his door and landed with a thump on the foot of his bed.  
  
"Morning, brother of mine!"  
  
"Hullo. You do realize that it is five o'clock in the evening, right?"  
  
"Of course, silly."  
  
"You're happy," he observed dryly, and cursed as he began another game on the wrong foot.  
  
"Yeah," she agreed, and began toying with his blanket. "Well, do you want to know why?"  
  
"I have a feeling you're going to tell me, whether I want to know or not."  
  
"I had a dream," Ginny said, ignoring him.  
  
"That's good news?" Ron prompted, confused.  
  
"That's definitely good news. I think I've worked out what that clue in the third prophecy meant."  
  
"Which clue? And how did you work this out from a dream?"  
  
"Well, I would have dismissed it, but you'll have to consider the source, of course. Oh, I rhymed!!"  
  
Ron grinned. Ginny hadn't been this carefree in a long time, and she, at least, wasn't treating him as he were fragile. After all, he'd only been captured and tortured by Death Eaters. He was still alive, which more than a lot of people could say about their encounter with the Dark Lord. "Consider the source? What's your source? Also, I repeat my earlier question. Which clue?"  
  
"The clue about searching for something that the flower wrote."  
  
"Ah, that one," Ron said wisely.  
  
"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? Oh well. I have to find Harry!"  
  
"He should be in here any minute." The truth of the matter was that Ron didn't want his sister to leave. After all, he'd only been in here a day, but he felt like he was already out of the loop.  
  
"Oh, I'll bet you want to know what's happened since you've been in here! Well, Harry was made Quidditch captain, of course, but he'll want to tell you all about that, forget I said anything, and Hermione has been blushing furiously all day, which means you've done something good for a change, and."  
  
Her voice, with its rise and fall and predictable pattern, quickly made him sleepy. He fought to hang onto consciousness, but he had a strong feeling that there had been something else in that tea that Madam Pomfrey had given him.  
  
Ginny watched his eyes droop and realized it was her gossip that was doing it to him. So, she continued to talk, something she was good at, until he was snoring gently.  
  
A few minutes later, Ginny heard solid footsteps behind her, and turned around quickly.  
  
"Mum!" She dashed to her feet and ran across the floor until she was safe in her mother's arms. "I hadn't. he's just so tired, and he looks so sick and."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I made up my mind before I came down here, you know. I wasn't going to treat him like he was an infant, or anything, but I was just talking to him and he couldn't even handle that. He fell asleep."  
  
Mrs. Weasley smiled gently. "Well, at least he's resting, dear. I'm going to sit with him a bit."  
  
"Can I stay with you?"  
  
There was a plea, a reversion to her childhood voice that caught Molly's attention. Last night all of the children had sounded so grown-up it had broken her heart. Now that Ginny was coming to her as a child, it broke her heart as well.  
  
"Of course." That was all she had to say. Ginny pulled up a chair. "I wanted to talk to you about your relationship with Harry, dear."  
  
"It seems like everyone does," Ginny remarked and carelessly pulled a lock of her hair in frustration. "Right now there is no 'us', despite what the prophecy supposedly says."  
  
"You mean to tell me he held your hand in the headmaster's office all that time and there isn't anything between the two of you? I doubt that."  
  
Ginny laughed. "That's all that he has done, Mum."  
  
Ginny raised her eyebrows, and Molly chuckled. "Not to mention he's probably scared."  
  
"What is there to be scared about?"  
  
"Well, I can think of six really good things to be scared about off the top of my head," Molly said with a smile. "Though one of them seems to be a bit out of it at the moment. Then there's me, of course."  
  
Despite her lighthearted tone, Molly kept a close eye on her son, continually stroking his hair soothingly. He was her youngest son, and he had already proven his bravery, courage and strength. She just wished there was another way he could have done it.  
  
"Harry wouldn't be scared of my brothers," Ginny said confidently.  
  
"He would if he were smart," Molly countered, "and that boy's very intelligent, make no mistake about that."  
  
"There's not much that any of them can do. I've made up my mind about Harry."  
  
"It's not that, it's just going to be hard for them to accept that you're growing up and can take care of yourself. It's hard for them to understand that you can feel this kinds of feelings. It's hard for your father to accept, and goodness knows it's hard on me. You're the last of my babies," Molly said fondly. "The last one. I almost lost you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, I was older than I had been the last time I was pregnant, you know. The medi-witches advised against me having another child, even when I was carrying Ron, but I so wanted a little girl." Molly's eyes filled with tears. "I didn't listen to them, I went ahead and got pregnant. I had a near miscarriage with you. Then, when you were born, you were so little. I was afraid you were going to break, even though I'd been through the same thing with your brothers. That's really why they call you 'little one' you know. Because you were so tiny."  
  
"I'm still tiny," Ginny admitted, and grasped her mother's hand. "Why didn't you tell me before?"  
  
"I didn't want to think about it. Now the Dark Lord's back, and he had Ron. He's had two of my babies, and now you're both back. It's the Weasley stubbornness that got him through it, you know. I'm scared that he wants to have either one of you in his filthy hands again."  
  
The tears in Ginny's eyes spilled over, and the two women cried silently together for a moment in time that neither of them really measured.  
  
"Ginny!" Professor Black called from the door of the hospital wing.  
  
Ginny raised her sore eyes, dried out from crying, and found the strength to answer. "Yes?"  
  
"We didn't see you at supper and we were all very worried. I came up here to find you. One of us was very worried," she added almost as an afterthought.  
  
Molly smiled weakly. "See, what did I tell you?"  
  
"Mrs. Weasley! I didn't see you there," Anna exclaimed. "We haven't been properly introduced, Miss Weasley. Perhaps you would do the honours?"  
  
Ginny stood determinedly and smiled. "Mum, this is Professor Anna Black, she teaches Divination here at Hogwarts. She's my mentor Mrs. Weasley nodded courteously, and Ginny continued. "Professor Black, this is my mum, Molly Weasley." The two women grinned at each other and shook hands.  
  
"Pleased to meet you, Molly," Anna said, amused at the introduction, and a bit shocked.  
  
"The pleasure's mine, I'm sure, Professor."  
  
"Oh, drop the 'Professor' nonsense. I'm not used to it, by any stretch of the imagination. Call me Anna. I have your son in my class, you know. He's a very creative young man."  
  
Pride burst from Molly, and her face lit up. The effect was astonishing. Anna reflected that Molly was pretty in the sort of neighborhood mum way.  
  
"Arthur and I are proud of him," she said, trying not to sound like those overbearing parents that teachers were always complaining about. "Do you have any children of your own, Anna?"  
  
Anna's face fell. "No, not yet. Remus and I never made it to the altar." At the look of confusion on both of the Weasley women's faces, she clarified, "Remus and I were engaged. There's never been anyone else, not really."  
  
"I understand. It was that way with Arthur and me."  
  
Anna bit her lip to keep from confiding all of her secrets in less than five minutes. These two women radiated an aura of caring and love that was very hard to resist.  
  
"Ginny, why don't you come with me and reassure Harry that you're still alive? It was good to meet you, Molly."  
  
"It was a pleasure," Molly responded.  
  
** Harry toyed listlessly with his food. Ron was in the hospital wing, and here he was, Harry Potter, eating an almost feast and being congratulated for being nominated and voted in as Quidditch captain. It just didn't seem the same without Ron.  
  
Then, from around the corner, Ginny appeared with Professor Black, talking and gesturing with that wonderful way she had that made everything seem much better. The whole room brightened when she entered, and Harry felt his mood lift noticeably. Waving quickly at Professor Black, she ran towards the Gryffindor table and sat down heavily.  
  
"Hullo, Harry, Hermione. Thank you, Neville. Would you hand me those potatoes, they look marvelous today," Ginny chatted, saying all of this in one breath. Instantly, the conversation at the Gryffindor table lightened immensely. The Gryffindors all seemed to think that if Ron's sister could take what had happened in stride, so could the rest of Hogwarts.  
  
"Where were you, Ginny?" Hermione asked interestedly.  
  
"Oh, I went up and saw Ron. He was conscious for about ten minutes, but now he's resting, thank goodness. Rest is what Madam Pomfrey said he needs more than anything. Then Mum came by to sit with Ron, and I had a talk with her." She clapped her hands at the sight before her. "I'm starved."  
  
Hermione smiled shyly. "How was Ron?"  
  
Ginny grinned. "You know perfectly well how Ron is. You only spent all of last night and your morning break with him."  
  
Hermione blushed. It was amazing, Ginny thought, how love could change you.  
  
"Tell Harry that we love him." The thought came to her so suddenly it was almost painful. Just a few more minutes, Ginny decided, then she would pull him aside.  
  
"Hermione, I need some help with Muggle Studies," she said on a whim. Hermione would be the person to ask, and she did need help, but she knew that more than anything this was just a way to stall until she could get herself in order.  
  
"Of course," Hermione said, diving in and sitting next to her.  
  
Harry was lost in his own world, and no one could seem to pry him out of it. Seamus and Neville tried to talk to him about Quidditch, and that drew him out briefly.  
  
While they were walking back, Ginny cornered him. "Harry, I need to talk to you. Soon. It's about the prophecy."  
  
"Meet me in the common room," he decided. "In an hour. I have to finish some homework. We'll play a game of chess, all right?"  
  
"I'd like that," Ginny said, and they both went their separate ways.  
  
**  
  
Hermione, on the other hand, headed towards the hospital wing to visit Ron again. She'd never realized how much she leaned on him until he wasn't there every minute of every day. Hugging her books tightly to her chest, she pushed open the door.  
  
"I finished it all already, Mum. Hermione helped me with it when she came in to see me this morning," she could hear Ron saying. "Hermione!"  
  
"No, don't sit up," Hermione said in vain, but Ron was already upright. She stood awkwardly in front of him for a minute, unsure of what to do. "Hello, Mrs. Weasley. Hello, Ron."  
  
"Now that you two are here, I want to hear everything that you two know about this prophecy. Don't leave anything out."  
  
Hermione told the story of everything they knew. "We still have no idea where the second prophecy might be located," she said with a frustrated sigh.  
  
"I think Ginny might be on to something," Ron interrupted. "She came in here to see me, but she was really looking for Harry. She had a message to give him, something about working out a part of the third prophecy."  
  
"She didn't tell me," Hermione mused. "I wonder why."  
  
"I don't know," Ron said crossly. "I just wish there wasn't a prophecy, damn it!"  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"Sorry, Mum. Honestly though, it's got everyone on edge. It's all they can think it about. It's all I can think about. I'm just glad that I'm not a part of it."  
  
"How do you know that?" Hermione shot back. "We could be part of the second prophecy, you know."  
  
"I'm not sure I'd be happy about that. Harry and Ginny don't really have a choice about falling in love."  
  
"Neither did we."  
  
"Yeah, but we don't have to get married and carry on the family name. If we do or if we don't, it won't affect history dramatically."  
  
"Of course it will. Honestly. The way you look at things."  
  
"Don't 'honestly' me, Hermione. I'm just trying to tell you what I think."  
  
Hermione stamped her foot in frustration. "You think- hah. Now that is funny."  
  
Ron regretted, momentarily, that his mother was in the room. He might have been able to turn this whole conversation around. However, he didn't want to shock his mother. "Hermione."  
  
"I'm going to my dormitory to think, Ronald Weasley. I'll see you later." With that, she stormed off in a huff.  
  
"She's always going off somewhere to think. If she'd just stop thinking so much, we wouldn't have all these problems." Ron muttered to himself.  
  
Molly Weasley sat, an amused smile on her face.  
  
"What are you smiling at, Mum?"  
  
"You and that girlfriend of yours. You remind me of someone I used to know," she added.  
  
"She'll come back," Ron said confidently. "Right?"  
  
"Of course, darling. She always will, if you do everything right."  
  
"I'm trying," Ron mumbled. "I'm trying."  
  
Meanwhile, Hermione stomped up to Ginny's dormitory and knocked politely. Ginny opened the door and took one look at her friend's face.  
  
"Did Ron do something wrong?"  
  
"Yes! He irritates me to no end!"  
  
"He always has. That's why you like him so much," Ginny countered. "You like someone that makes you think, that lets you stop thinking every once in a while. Would you really want someone that agreed with everything you said?"  
  
"No! But that doesn't make this any better. I don't psychology, I want sympathy! You know, the good old 'men are bastards, let's kill them all' type of sympathy."  
  
"That's my brother you're talking about," Ginny said, entertained. "Besides, we've never been able to pull that off. We love our boys too much."  
  
"Yeah," Hermione agreed sadly. "Do you ever think we're missing out on something, though?"  
  
Ginny laughed. "Not tonight. Ask me sometime when Harry makes me mad. Speaking of which, I'm supposed to meet him for a game of chess. I hope he's prepared to lose."  
  
"Well, I've got homework. I was too busy helping Ron with his to get mine done," Hermione said and smiled faintly. "Thanks, Ginny."  
  
Ginny merely waved her off and ran down the stairs at full speed. She seemed to have a lot more energy than ever, Hermione thought, and closed the door behind her firmly.  
  
Ginny arrived the common room late. "Well, Harry Potter, prepare to be humiliated," she announced, and sat down dramatically on an armchair across from him, flipping her robes out and straightening her hair.  
  
Harry granted her one of his rare, and growing rarer chuckles. "My move, correct?"  
  
"Right!"  
  
They played in silence for a few minutes, then Harry broke the silence with a confident, "check."  
  
"Hmph," was all the noise Ginny made, but she twirled her fingers in her hair, a nervous habit that, as Harry was learning, meant that she didn't have a clue what to do next. Her chess pieces took this opportunity to shout suggestions at her, until she clicked a long nail on the chessboard, and then they fell silent. She made her move, and then settled back to watch Harry think.  
  
Harry, however, had a different idea. "You had something to tell me?"  
  
"I had a dream last night, Harry." She looked up at him, and her eyes were dark and troubled. "It may sound silly to you, but it made me feel ever so much better."  
  
"I could tell," Harry said dryly. "I promise I won't laugh or anything."  
  
"All right. It was your mother, Harry."  
  
"You talked to my mum?"  
  
"Sort of, she wanted me to tell you that your father and your mother love you very much. She told me to hang on to my love for you."  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows at that, but didn't make a sound. The two of them sat, each of them lost in their thoughts.  
  
"She also told me where to find what she wrote."  
  
"Did she tell you what it was?" Harry asked, snapping to attention.  
  
"No. But she said, 'in all of the years between my terms at Hogwarts and yours, not much has changed. What you're looking for is five stairs up and to the left in a little closet.'"  
  
"Which stairs?"  
  
"I haven't the foggiest. Your mum couldn't be too direct, I think. Something about breaking the rules."  
  
"Breaking the rules! I've got it! I know where it is!" 


	18. The Balance is Shifting

This chapter is for my "home girls," as my friend Brian would say. Jess, Maria, Risa, Meg and Amanda- thanks for being my support group and assuming the best when everything seems to be going wrong- both in TIF and IRL. I'm blessed to have you all to encourage me (as well as lock me in closets when I don't update). Thanks! A special shot to Dancer- for handing over those ruby red slippers of inspiration. I needed them desperately.  
  
Short A/N: I know that most of you are sick of waiting for me to update and I sincerely apologize, but the situation was out of my hands. However, I have Chapters 17-22 sitting at home, completed. Updates for these chapters should be fairly quick. Thank you for remaining loyal and continuing to read. God bless!  
  
Chapter Seventeen: The Balance is Shifting  
  
The room was cold, but that was okay. Voldemort liked it that way when he sat to monitor the success of his plan. The Dark Lord sat with his eyes closed, drumming his fingers in a set pattern and entering a meditative state.  
  
"The balance is shifting," Lord Voldemort said out loud to no one in particular. He was alone- out of the sight of his Death Eaters. He rather liked being that way. There was no one to be insolent, no one to ask stupid questions.  
  
"Dumbledore," he hissed then. "What is that you are doing? Following through with such a thing is insanity."  
  
"What is it, my lord?"  
  
Lucius Malfoy entered, and closed the door quietly behind him.  
  
"Dumbledore. The old fool has been sick for ages, but now he is transferring his power. to someone."  
  
"Who, my lord?"  
  
Voldemort spat. "I cannot trace the flow. Yet."  
  
Lucius nearly shuddered, but instead he murmured, "What is it that I can do, my lord?"  
  
"Get out of my sight. Fetch me Elizabeth. She will tell me. If she will not." He smiled in anticipation. "I will make her."  
  
**  
  
"Anna, are you here?" Remus's soft voice called into the darkness of the Divination classroom. He paused a moment, then went on through to her personal quarters.  
  
Seated in the middle of her living room on a red rug, with her back to the fire, Anna's hair was disheveled and there were tracks running down her cheeks. Her eyes were closed, and she sat still as a statue, meditating on something.  
  
"Anna."  
  
"Remus!" Anna was startled out of her trance, and nearly fell backwards. Remus's gentle hand quickly steadied her. "You scared me," she mumbled and then held up her hand. "Help me up?"  
  
"You're the Seer," Remus said with a half-smile. "Couldn't you see me coming?"  
  
"You're the bloody werewolf," she shot back, "couldn't you have knocked?"  
  
Remus chuckled. "Touché."  
  
"Do you want something to drink? Have a seat and stay awhile." Her voice and mannerisms were welcoming as she busied herself making tea, but her hands kept straying to her face to wipe away tears.  
  
"What's wrong?" Remus's unusually perceptive eyes pierced her own, and she found her eyes straying from them.  
  
"Fifteen years."  
  
That was all she had to say. Remus took the cup away from her, and pressed her firmly down to the sofa.  
  
"Oh, James. Lily." Her voice cracked and she was overcome. "Why?"  
  
"There is no why," Remus comforted, rubbing her back in small circles. "There is certainly nothing you could have done."  
  
"I could have seen it coming. I should have seen it coming. I should have been there, I should have."  
  
"Shush. Nothing. There is nothing you could have done."  
  
"What is the use of this. this Gift if I cannot use it to save my friends?"  
  
"You're keeping Harry alive. That's all that James and Lily would have cared about."  
  
"I cared about more than that. I cared about Lily being my maid of honor, I cared about being there to watch James teach Harry how to fly, and I counted on Lily being there to let me cry on her shoulder. I cared about the future."  
  
Remus smiled ruefully. "I care about the future, now. James and Lily cared about their future. Their future is Harry. All our hopes and dreams lie with him, and Ginny."  
  
"It shouldn't have to be that way."  
  
"No, it shouldn't. But I remember another couple feeling just that sort of pressure. The spell they were working on was dangerous, and we all knew it. Voldemort was out to get them before they got him. They knew the danger as well as we did."  
  
"I know." Anna bit her lip. "Do you want to know what else I counted on?"  
  
Remus's shoulders sagged. "What?"  
  
"You."  
  
The werewolf's eyes and entire posture dropped, and he seemed crumple from within. "Anna, I."  
  
"No. You just listen to me. I'm angry here, and I want to let some of it out. I've been informed that it's not healthy to harbor resentment for fifteen years. I'm angry at you, because you left. I'm angry because you felt that you were the only feeling pain. I'm angry because you didn't even bother to tell me what you were feeling, and I'm angry because I didn't go after you."  
  
Remus's head lifted. "No, you were right before, I was being an ass."  
  
"And I was being an immature little girl. I couldn't take care of myself, and we both know it. I'm not saying that we shouldn't have got married, all I'm saying is that I'm valuing what we have now as much as what we had back then, but I feel something deeper. I'm not a little girl anymore, Remus."  
  
"I'm not a little boy, and I certainly never thought you were a little girl."  
  
"I did."  
  
There was an awkward pause.  
  
"Are you saying that we should try this again?" Remus asked.  
  
Anna bit her lip. "Only if you want to."  
  
Remus's grin was wide. "Well, at least something good came out of this wretched day."  
  
Anna's smile was more tentative. "So?"  
  
"Well, I say we do it right this time," Remus suggested. "May I?" He gestured toward her necklace.  
  
Quickly, Anna pulled off the chain that looped together her rings. Her hands were shaking, and the rings clinked as she handed it to him.  
  
Remus's deft fingers choose the one he wanted, and he studied it in the light for a moment. "Do you remember when I gave this to you the first time?"  
  
Anna giggled. "Yes. I can't remember which one of us was more nervous. I thought you were going to break up with me. I was fully prepared to be devastated. Lily told me I was an idiot."  
  
"Do you mind if I give this to you again?"  
  
Anna raised her eyes to meet his and blushed. "I'd like to wear it again."  
  
"Remember when we swore we weren't going to get married until everything was worked out?" Remus asked.  
  
Anna rolled her eyes, and a blush crept up her cheeks. "Yes. But, Remus, I don't think I can wait that long. Nothing I've ever read guarantees a happy ending, but I want there to be one for us, if it can be helped at all."  
  
"Oh, I think that this time things will go differently," Remus countered, and cupped her cheek in his palm.  
  
Anna made a little sound in her throat. It all felt so. right.  
  
"Professor, I have a question," Remus interjected into her thoughts.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Lupin?"  
  
"Can we be done talking now?"  
  
His fingers were tracing magic circles on her fingers, and the way his eyes were caressing her face was driving her crazy. "Do you have another activity in mind?" she managed to gasp.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do."  
  
Their lips touched, and Anna ceased being able to think at all. Of their own violation, her hands crept up toward his neck and began to play with the locks of his hair. Kissing Remus was amazing, a feeling topped by none other, and she wished it to go on forever and ever.  
  
To demonstrate her thorough approval with his improved skills, she stood up on her very tiptoes to deepen the kiss. His tongue slipped across her lips and she granted him entrance. The intimacy of the moment, her initial surrender to Remus's gentle persuasions connected them in a way they hadn't been in a very long time.  
  
"I won't leave you again, Anna, I swear it."  
  
"If you do, I'll come after you. I swear it."  
  
Their lips met again, and again- they drinking of each other, as if they were dying of thirst.  
  
Sometime later, Anna rested against Remus's shoulder. "You know, I've always had a fondness for the way 'Anna Lupin' sounds."  
  
"Me, too." Remus bent down to give her a lazy, slow kiss.  
  
Anna sighed. "You're quite good at this, you know. Sirius used to trust me with you because I would be safe with you. Can you believe that?"  
  
"Safe?" Remus was shocked.  
  
"However," Anna rolled over and caressed him. "I'm not exactly interested in being safe right now."  
  
**  
  
"Elizabeth," Voldemort greeted her warmly, as warmly as he greeted anyone.  
  
Elizabeth suppressed a shudder. Voldemort was looking anything but human these days, and even his voice had taken on a snake-like quality. His eyes glowed with a power that she found disturbing and terrifying. If she wanted to sell information to Dumbledore, though, she had to be prepared to deal with people she didn't like. Even people she hated, like Voldemort. In the deepest, most inner part of her heart, she felt she hid her emotions very well. That was a good thing in a double agent, if that was you wanted to term her.  
  
"My lord," she responded with a bow.  
  
"Report, Elizabeth. Your last mission was a success, of course?"  
  
"Of course," she smirked. "My lord," she added as an afterthought.  
  
"How is your husband's health these days?"  
  
Elizabeth schooled her expression. Voldemort had sought to control her through her husband, who, through his reporter's job at the Daily Prophet, had come into contact with some dangerous people, learned too much, and then said too much. Her first mission had been to begin the slow process of killing him with a discreet poison.  
  
"I fear that it does not go well, my lord. His job at the Prophet tires him so."  
  
Voldemort chuckled. He knew that she was lying, of course. That made this exchange that much more entertaining.  
  
"Most unfortunate," he muttered.  
  
"You called me, my lord?"  
  
"Yes." That was all he said, and sat back and watched her squirm. Fear was the most interesting of emotions, causing people to do all sorts of odd things. Voldemort liked to think of himself as an observer, and he watched Elizabeth carefully for any physical sign of her betrayal.  
  
Elizabeth fidgeted. She wanted to snap at the infuriating monster, but that would only give him cause to harm her. Not that he necessarily needed a reason to harm her. He'd killed people for less reason than a whim. Still, it was better not to madden the beast.  
  
"I need some information. You will tell me exactly what you know about Dumbledore."  
  
Elizabeth opened her mouth and closed it, blocking the smart reply that wanted to fly from her mouth. She took a deep breath.  
  
"You're going to have to be more specific than that, my lord."  
  
"More specific, hmm? You mean to tell me that you haven't been selling information to the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? You mean to tell me that your husband isn't alive in South America?"  
  
He watched her face grow ashen, and chuckled even more. "Oh, yes, I know all about that." He rolled his fingers against the chair arm. The sound made Elizabeth wince.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Please, don't pretend to be stupid. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You made a very, very unintelligent decision. You decided to double cross Lord Voldemort, something that no one survives. I'm going to be." He paused. "Magnanimous, and give you a chance to save yourself. Tell me about Dumbledore. He's transferring his power to someone, and I want to know who."  
  
Elizabeth's mind worked furiously. "I don't understand."  
  
"Simpleton! Dumbledore is dying, and his power is going somewhere! Where is it going?"  
  
Elizabeth felt as if an invisible hand were squeezing her throat, until tears came to her eyes. "Please, my lord, give me time."  
  
"Time? Time to betray me again?" He snickered. "Oh no."  
  
"It would have to be Potter, my lord, or Miss Weasley."  
  
"Don't you think that's a bit obvious?"  
  
While Elizabeth was struggling with words, Voldemort rose and strode over to her. He liked to watch the faces of the people that he killed when they died.  
  
"Time's up, Elizabeth. Obviously you don't have the information I need. It was nice working with you. Good-bye. AVADA KEDAVA!"  
  
**  
  
Harry was having a hard time controlling himself. Ginny and Harry were heading down the stairs to Filch's office, and Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Ginny was walking that close to him on purpose. If he just concentrated on getting to his destination, it would make his job that much easier.  
  
If only the prophecy didn't exist, then he could try to. but he stopped that thought.  
  
Finally they reached their destination. Filch's office.  
  
"What we're looking for should be just behind one of the cabinets," he muttered, and Ginny nodded in response.  
  
"Let's have a light," Ginny whispered. "Lumos."  
  
Harry pushed open the door. "Here we go."  
  
Filch was not anywhere in sight, in real life, and on the Marauder's Map, so Harry pushed the offending file cabinet out of the way.  
  
"Harry, that's a broom closet."  
  
"I know, but no one uses this closet."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's been known to disappear. Shall we?" Without waiting for her, Harry stepped into the darkness.  
  
"Harry, wait! Maybe this isn't such a- oh blast it. Here I come!" 


	19. The Ivy Room

Dedicated to those who have not lost interest. My love and thanks to all of you.  
  
Chapter 18: The Ivy Room  
  
Professor Dumbledore sat in his chair and reread the notice a half a dozen times. Elizabeth had been his student, and towards the end of her life, her organization had been extremely helpful to himself and to the Order. Now he had to break the news of her death to Sirius, a task he was not looking forward to.  
  
He stood as quickly as he could- his old bones didn't work quite the way they used to. Fawkes hummed with concern.  
  
"It's nothing, old friend. Just a cold."  
  
Fawkes whistled.  
  
"I know, I know. Sirius will be here soon, and then I will rest."  
  
Fawkes seemed satisfied with that.  
  
"I don't know quite how I ended up with such a busy-body for a bird."  
  
Fawkes puffed out his chest and tilted his head, as if to say, "You know perfectly well how you ended up with me, and it's your own fault." Dumbledore made his way stiffly towards Fawkes and began to stroke his chest feathers. The phoenix closed his eyes and began to sing a reassuring song.  
  
After a few moments, Dumbledore moved his hand. The song had restored him, however temporarily, and he was grateful.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Fawkes nodded and gave a low whistle.  
  
There was a knock on the door, and Dumbledore called out, "Come in."  
  
"You wanted to see me, Professor Dumbledore?"  
  
"Yes, Professor Black. Come in and have a seat."  
  
Under other circumstances, Dumbledore would have found it amusing that Sirius was still nervous being in his office, as if he were going to get in trouble.  
  
"I have a class to get ready for tomorrow."  
  
"Have a seat, Sirius," Dumbledore restated firmly.  
  
"I guess it still makes me nervous to be in here," Sirius said, embarrassed.  
  
Dumbledore smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sirius."  
  
"Something wrong, Professor?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Sirius, we lost Elizabeth Jones last night. When you knew her, her name was Scardon."  
  
Sirius's face crumpled, then rearranged itself into a mask of stone.  
  
"How?"  
  
"She was a Death Eater." Dumbledore ignored Sirius's gasp of protest and continued, "But she wasn't going to be satisfied with that. She and two others started playing double games."  
  
"Double games?"  
  
"Selling information."  
  
"Damn."  
  
"Sirius, she wasn't the girl you used to know." Dumbledore could almost hear the desperation in his voice, reminding Sirius to stay sane, stay with him. He hoped that this would motivate Sirius, no matter how cold hearted that sounded.  
  
"In school." Sirius broke off. "I have to go."  
  
"Sirius, I beg of you, take tomorrow off."  
  
Sirius stood and twirled. "Do I have a choice?"  
  
"Yes. But in the state you're in now, what use would you be to your pupils?"  
  
"Bah," Sirius growled. "I don't want Snape teaching my class, or some other bloke that doesn't know what they're doing. Just- let me. I can't do nothing."  
  
"That's the way you've always been."  
  
"Right then," Sirius turned to leave again.  
  
"I'm sorry for your loss."  
  
"Loss, hell. We were going to get married."  
  
The door to Dumbledore's office shut with a bang.  
  
Fawkes hooted. "Rest, I know," Dumbledore mumbled and promptly fell asleep in his chair.  
  
Two hours later, Professor McGonagall walked in the office.  
  
"Oh, Albus," she muttered. Gently, she shook him awake.  
  
"Wh-What?" Professor Dumbledore stuttered.  
  
"No talking. Off to bed with you. You're working entirely too hard."  
  
"Minerva."  
  
"Don't Minerva me, Albus. Hogwarts can operate for a few hours without you."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Don't make me get Madam Pince."  
  
Professor Dumbledore sighed and rose to his feet.  
  
"If anything happens."  
  
"I will let you know."  
  
As he walked out the door, Fawkes crooned a series of notes that sounded suspiciously like 'I told you so'.  
  
**  
  
Harry had disappeared. Ginny bit her lip. It was unnaturally dark in the chamber, and it reminded her of other untoward places.  
  
"Harry?" she called softly and almost ran into him.  
  
"Watch yourself, Gin. There isn't a lot of, um, room in here." Ginny could hear Harry's blush in his voice.  
  
"I noticed," she responded dryly. "There's something funny about this place. There obviously isn't anything here."  
  
"Wait," Harry demanded sharply. "Don't move."  
  
Small tendrils of something were poking at her legs. "It's coming from the wall," she managed to whisper without sounding hysterical.  
  
"I'm going to have a closer look," Harry said and began to move slowly toward the edges of the room.  
  
"Have a closer look at what?"  
  
"Whatever's covering the wall, that's what."  
  
From a pocket in his trousers he drew out the knife that Bill and Charlie had given him for his birthday. He had decided it would be a better prodding tool because he could live without it if it didn't come back home whole. If his wand got snapped, then he'd be out of luck.  
  
"It's ivy, of some sort." Something was prodding the back of his mind, something that he knew he should remember. He looked down at his finger. "Ivy is the Potter symbol. I don't think it being here is just a fluke. It was put here."  
  
Ginny nodded. "It makes sense, but let's not get our hopes up. This particular sort of ivy is resistant to most of the spells you would normally use to cut it." At Harry's odd look, she shrugged. "I like Herbology. Anyway, it looks like it's trying to hide something. Try to cut it, after you cut the bit that's cutting off circulation to my leg."  
  
Harry laughed and did as she told him to. Sawing through the ivy took more time than he wanted it to, but finally the vine gave up.  
  
After that, he began to work on a piece covering the wall. There was an awkward silence.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you?" They both spoke at the same time.  
  
"Sorry," Ginny whispered. "You go first."  
  
"No, it's okay. Hey, look at this!"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's growing around something. If I could just get a bit more off, I might be able to tell what," Harry said through gritted teeth.  
  
"A 'P'," Ginny said, confused. "That's what it's growing around."  
  
"The family seal," Harry said almost reverently.  
  
"Now I'm convinced it's guarding something," Ginny stated confidently.  
  
"That's what I thought, but perhaps it's a door."  
  
"Well, it's got to do something," Ginny mused. "Why don't you see if you can't get more of this awful stuff off?"  
  
Harry nodded. "All right. Seems like a good idea to me."  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Something's not right. I can feel it."  
  
"What is it? You've got to tell me more.  
  
"I think it's booby- DUCK!"  
  
A ray of light burst over their heads and incinerated an entire vine of the plant that grew on the walls.  
  
"Thanks for the warning."  
  
"It'll come again, Harry." With a swift tug, Ginny dragged Harry to one side.  
  
This time the energy hit stones that crumpled. Stones fell down on them like rain. Soon, there were more bursts, and Ginny and Harry no longer had time to think.  
  
"Harry, there has to be a way to block or stop these. We can't take much more," Ginny managed a while later.  
  
"I know. We should have brought Hermione. She would know a spell, or a wand movement, or something."  
  
Ginny grimaced as a falling rock nearly smashed her. "You know, in retrospect, I think we could have waited to find this place until we found her."  
  
"No, the sooner we work this puzzle out, the better," Harry said, and ducked his head.  
  
Just then, Harry saw another beam heading straight for Ginny.  
  
"Ginny! Move!"  
  
When she stood still, Harry jumped in front of her and waited for the pain.  
  
**  
  
"I can't find Harry or Ginny anywhere!" Hermione shouted as she pushed open the door of the Divination classroom and went on through to Anna's private quarters. "I've looked everywhere, and the only clue I've got is this- oh."  
  
A slow blush crept over Hermione's cheeks as she took in her Professors in varied states of undress, clinging very tightly to one another.  
  
"Oh dear. Um," she started. "I'm going to- leave."  
  
Anna and Remus pulled away from each other sheepishly.  
  
"Hullo, Hermione," Anna grinned, finding this too amusing, considering the circumstances. They'd just been getting dressed anyway.  
  
Hermione's cheeks really caught on fire, and she backed slowly out of the door and shut it firmly behind her.  
  
A short time later, Remus and Anna reappeared to find Hermione studying a book, apparently very interested. Her finger moved to trace her place, and Anna could see her mouth moving.  
  
"What do you need, Hermione?" Remus asked, irritated.  
  
Hermione jumped and dropped the book, then bent hastily to pick it up again.  
  
"Harry and Ginny are gone. They left me a note, but I don't know what to do about it."  
  
"What does it say?" Remus asked.  
  
"It says they've gone to Filch's office."  
  
"What for?"  
  
" 'To fetch something that the flower wrote' is what they said, but I have no clue what that means, nor how they're going to manage to get into Filch's office."  
  
"I doubt Filch's office is their destination," Remus said and pushed open the door, heading out down the corridor.  
  
"James and Lily's room!" Anna gasped and took off after him.  
  
"What?" Hermione gasped. "Wait, not so fast. I don't understand. What's going on?"  
  
"When James and Lily wanted some privacy they would disappear into this room. It wasn't on the map. James made sure of it. It was next to Filch's office, or so we think. I don't know how Harry would know about that, though."  
  
"Sirius gave him 'Headboy Diaries' for his birthday, remember?" Anna said, after she'd thought about it for a moment.  
  
Remus nodded. "That was probably James's personal copy. They left everything to Harry, with Sirius as the executor of the estate until Harry came of age."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "Why next to Filch's office?"  
  
Remus chuckled. "Filch is smart, no doubt about that, but he's not brilliant. James was, and Lily was too. Filch was so concerned with these imaginary grandiose plans that he thought we were cooking up that he forgot to look for them in the most obvious place. Right in plain sight."  
  
Hermione found herself grinning at Remus's tone. He might be a Professor now, but that didn't mean that Remus. didn't appreciate the brilliance of the four former mischief makers.  
  
There was just one more point that needed to be cleared up in Hermione's mind. "What happened to the room when James and Lily left school?"  
  
Remus shrugged. "I don't really know."  
  
"Lily didn't tell me what they planned to do. She was pretty close-mouthed by the end of seventh year, though. Voldemort had started taking over by that time, and they suspected that they would eventually be a target."  
  
"In all likelihood, though, they probably shut it up, made it inaccessible to people," Remus mused.  
  
"I remember," Anna thought aloud, "that they spent a great deal of time in there just before you all left."  
  
Remus stopped momentarily. "Perhaps- Lily left something there. But how would Harry and Ginny know to look there.?"  
  
Anna frowned. "Ginny is a Seer, you know."  
  
"But that does not make her infallible," Remus countered. "I have a bad feeling about this."  
  
"I never said that it made her infallible, I'm just saying that it would make things easier for them should things get messy. And, I don't have any remarkably bad feelings about this."  
  
Hermione blew out her breath. "Well, I don't want to rely on anyone's feelings. I want to find Harry and Ginny and work out what they're up to. If they couldn't wait until they found me, it's obviously something important. The sooner we find them, the better."  
  
They ran a while longer and suddenly Remus stopped at a door that Hermione had never noticed before.  
  
"This wasn't here yesterday," she breathed.  
  
Anna looked it over, and her hands stroked the stone around it. "It's the original stone," she concluded. "Logically, there's no way it could have not been here yesterday."  
  
"Then again, logic doesn't always necessarily apply to magic," Remus said with an appreciative grin.  
  
"It would take a strong piece of magic to make it disappear and then reappear randomly, and then even stronger to make it appear for only certain people," Hermione voiced.  
  
"Not to mention keeping a strong dark wizard from being able to make it reappear," Remus agreed.  
  
Anna ran a hand through her hair. "So we agree that we're dealing with a strong magic here. What else do we know?"  
  
Hermione twisted the knob. "Well, we know it's locked."  
  
Remus and Anna chuckled. Hermione shot them a look.  
  
"I fail to see the humor in the situation. Here, listen at the door."  
  
Remus pressed his ear to the door and heard the faint sound of rocks hitting a stone floor. "Something's not right."  
  
Anna joined him and listened intently. "Oh Merlin. Harry! Ginny!"  
  
"Let me try," Remus said and pulled at the door with all of his strength.  
  
"I revise my earlier statement," Hermione said after squinting at the door for a moment. "It's not locked, it's only sealed."  
  
"Just sealed?" Remus nearly hollered, then took a deep breath. "I think that your books have given you no idea of how much strength a sealing spell has. I shudder to think. Not to mention the number of spells for this purpose that James knew off of the top of his head. If he researched at all, then we've got a very slim chance of breaking this charm. We'd better start now if we want a chance at being able to help them."  
  
**  
  
  
  
Join us for some discussion! 


	20. A Dire Moment, A Kiss, A Meeting, And A ...

For Jess, because the only time that she ever gives up on me is when I promise to call her. I'm lucky in having a friend like her, and I hope she knows just how much I appreciate her.  
  
Chapter 19: A Dire Moment, A Kiss, A Meeting, And A Password  
  
Harry waited, but the pain never came. Instead, the ray broke in front of him and nothing happened.  
  
"That's odd," he mumbled.  
  
"Harry Potter! You scared the life out of me. Next time you have to be so damned heroic, will you notify me so that I can."  
  
"It stopped, didn't it?"  
  
"Don't you dare grin at me that way. I can't stay mad at you when you do that. Honestly, I just don't know whether to kiss you or slap you."  
  
"Well, I'd prefer the former," Harry muttered underneath of his breath.  
  
"Oh really?" Ginny sounded intrigued.  
  
"Um, yes."  
  
"Well, then," Ginny mumbled, "that's something to keep in mind."  
  
As Harry's face fell into a look of disappointment, Ginny tried to hide her joy. Harry Potter looked disappointed! Disappointed because she hadn't kissed him.  
  
"Look, something's happening," she cried.  
  
Harry nodded as his eyes took in the sight. The ivy around the room was crumbling, and was soon nonexistent. The room swerved, and Harry and Ginny found themselves on the ground in the middle of the room.  
  
"Harry and Virginia Potter," said a warm male voice. "It seems you have passed the test."  
  
Then there was silence.  
  
When Harry and Ginny continued to look blank, the voice went on. "Harry, you've proven your feelings for the girl, and your Gryffindor bravery. You're a true heir of the Potter house. Therefore, it is only right that you should have this."  
  
A book fell from the ceiling. There was one word printed on its cover. Lily. Ginny reached over and traced it with her pinky finger.  
  
"Ginny, is there a reason why a lot of things seem to fall on us?"  
  
"Must be your magnetic personality," Ginny said with a shrug.  
  
Harry snorted, and then took in a deep breath. "Well, this is uncomfortable."  
  
Ginny looked up, and on her face she had a mischievous smile. "How so?"  
  
"Well, we just had a voice tell us that I obviously have feelings for you. I'm assuming that's pretty uncomfortable for you- knowing that I have feelings for you." Harry stopped abruptly when he realized that he was essentially saying the same things over and over again, and then found that he starting all over again. "Not that there was ever any doubt that I was the true heir of the Potter house, but the feelings part must have been awkward."  
  
"Not really," Ginny said nonchalantly. "I had it worked out on the way over here."  
  
"Did you really?" Harry asked, his gaze keen on her face, as if he felt he could peel the truth off of her.  
  
"This is a very interesting book," Ginny said swiftly, clearing her throat. "It has your mum's name on the cover."  
  
Harry grinned. "Ah, I thought so."  
  
"You knew that this book would have your mum's name on it?" Ginny asked innocently. "Here I thought I was the Seer."  
  
"No, I knew that you didn't know that I had feelings for you."  
  
"Well, I'm assuming that that's what they are, you know, feelings," Ginny almost whispered. "Not anything important, or anything."  
  
"That's what you think, hmm?"  
  
"Yes." This time Ginny did whisper. "Harry, don't you think we should concentrate on the book, or something."  
  
Harry was still examining her face carefully, and his close scrutiny caused her to flush a deep red. "Or something."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Nothing," he stammered hastily, when he realized he had almost said something foolish. "What do you think. that is to say. um. what do we do?"  
  
"I don't know." Ginny grabbed the book and tried to open it.  
  
"Ginny, did you mean what you said?"  
  
"What?" Ginny nearly dropped the book. "What thing that I said?"  
  
"When you said that you didn't know whether to kiss me or slap me, and I said I would rather have you do the former, then you said it was something to think about?"  
  
"Oh, that?" Ginny's mouth twitched upwards. "Hmm, well, yes, I suppose so."  
  
"Well, have you thought about it?"  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
Harry's face fell.  
  
"But that was only because there really hasn't been much time, you know."  
  
"Well, if there had been time, would you think about it?"  
  
Ginny grinned, and put the book in her robes, as she thought they wouldn't be needing it any time soon. "Yes, I think I would."  
  
"Okay, then." Harry took a deep breath, leaned over and touched his lips to hers. Ginny gasped.  
  
In all of her daydreams, she had never dreamt that the first kiss she would share with Harry would be on the cold stone floor of an unplottable room in Hogwarts, with a glowing book sitting in between them. The rest of it, she had imagined, but she realized now that she had no idea. The way she felt was indescribable. "You think this is bad," she thought to herself, "imagine if he were actually touching you."  
  
The door opened with a creak, and a set of figures stepped through to the room.  
  
"Harry! Ginny! Are you all right? What's going on in there?" Hermione burst through the door and saw them cross-legged on the floor with their hands intertwined. "Oh, for Merlin's sake. This has not been my day," she groaned.  
  
Harry and Ginny pulled away from each other.  
  
"Harry," Ginny managed, even though she was breathless, "do you know that you're bleeding?"  
  
"No." He looked down at his shirt and looked amazed. "Imagine that."  
  
"Come to think of it," Ginny inhaled, "I don't feel so great myself."  
  
"Ginny, are you going to be all right?" Remus's voice sounded like it was coming from the end of an aluminum can. "She looks like she's going to."  
  
Ginny was just barely aware of mild cursing and shuffling before she hit the ground.  
  
".faint."  
  
**  
  
"Madam Pomfrey! Madam Pomfrey!" Anna kept shouting at the top of her voice.  
  
"For goodness sake, girl, I'm not deaf. What's going on? Ah, it's you. It's been a while since I've seen you, Mr. Potter."  
  
"Not quite long enough for me, Madam Pomfrey."  
  
"Yes, I'd imagine so. What seems to be the matter with Miss Weasley?"  
  
"Well, she fainted."  
  
The look that Madam Pomfrey shot Harry made him feel very stupid.  
  
"Obviously. What made her faint, Mr. Potter?"  
  
"Well, we'd all like to know that," Remus said tiredly.  
  
"I most certainly agree." The voice was female, tired, and had just a hint of a Scottish highland.  
  
"Professor McGonagall!"  
  
"I hope there is a reasonable explanation for this."  
  
"Put Miss Weasley in that bed next to Mr. Potter. We'll have to wait until she decides to join us again. It doesn't look like anything serious, just shock. You, Mr. Potter, on the other hand, are bleeding. Wait here."  
  
"Ginny?" Ron's voice from two beds over was sleepy and not very coherent.  
  
Hermione answered him in a no-nonsense voice. "Yes. She'll be fine. Go back to sleep, Ron."  
  
"Hermione! What's happening?"  
  
"We're waiting for Harry and Ginny to explain themselves," Anna said sternly. "Well, we're waiting for Harry to explain himself, because your sister has made herself temporarily unavailable."  
  
"Get Sirius," was all Harry would say. "I'll explain this once, with everyone here to listen. That way I can go to sleep directly afterwards."  
  
"That sounds like a plan. You look awful," Hermione agreed.  
  
"Thanks, Hermione." Harry's voice was sheepish, and Hermione had the good grace to blush.  
  
"I'll just run and get him."  
  
"That won't be necessary." Professor Dumbledore had entered the room. "I've already fetched him."  
  
Harry nearly gaped. He would never work out just how Professor Dumbledore seemed to know everything that went on at Hogwarts.  
  
Sirius walked in through the door and his hair was abnormally messy. His eyes were wild with some emotion that was not easy to pin down. Hermione nearly shuddered. She hadn't seen him this roguish looking since his escape from Azkaban.  
  
"Sirius! Oh my goodness. something terrible must have happened. What is it?" Anna was in her brother's arms in a minute, stroking his back in a soothing pattern. Neither of them said a word, just held on for dear life.  
  
Remus stood back for a minute, but when brother and sister had released each other, he grasped Sirius's shoulder in a display of support. There would be time for a more intimate conversation between the two of them later.  
  
Sirius closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them there was determination there. "Remus, Anna, Elizabeth is dead. I received word earlier this evening."  
  
Anna gasped. "Oh no."  
  
Remus's face turned to stone. "I'm sorry, Sirius."  
  
Hermione, feeling a bit distressed, went and sat on the edge of Ron's bed. Her boyfriend welcomed her warmly, and Harry watched as they seemed to melt to one being with her back against his chest. Every now and then Ron would run a comforting hand up and down her arm.  
  
"Harry, please, tell us what happened this evening," Professor Dumbledore broke through the silence.  
  
"Well, it started with a dream that Ginny had," Harry started.  
  
About midway through the story, Ginny's eyes flickered open.  
  
"We managed to get the door open, and when we did, something started shooting at us. It destroyed the stones above us, and the debris started to fall on us."  
  
"So this great genius." Ginny took over and made everyone realize that she had come to. ".jumps in front of a ray that's headed straight for me, because he thought it would hurt me."  
  
"Well, apparently, that was the right thing to do," Harry shot back. "The rays stopped firing, or whatever it was they were doing."  
  
"You are correct, Harry. I helped set up the defenses for that room myself when Lily and James were about to leave Hogwarts," Dumbledore started to explain, but then stopped himself. "Please, continue. There will be time to hear all other sides of the story later."  
  
"Then a voice came from nowhere and told Harry he was the true heir of the Potter family," Ginny resumed. "And he called me 'Virginia Potter'. That's odd. I didn't notice it at the time."  
  
Harry grinned, but refrained from saying anything. Ron might not be able to walk yet, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't find a way to inflict punishment on his best friend if he thought Harry was taking advantage of his little sister.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "He would. He was always a great one for humor. Watching your reaction must have been the most entertaining thing he's seen in decades."  
  
"Anyway," Harry picked up after it became clear that Dumbledore wasn't going to say anything further on the subject, "this book just dropped from the ceiling."  
  
"I have it," Ginny piped up.  
  
"It has my mum's name on it," Harry followed.  
  
"Do you care to let us see it, Ginny?" Remus's voice was carefully neutral, as if he was afraid to be too hopeful.  
  
"I couldn't get it open when I tried." Ginny said as she pulled it from her robes.  
  
"It's probably guarded by a password," Anna mumbled. "Lily was always good at locking charms.  
  
"Sounds reasonable to me," Ginny agreed, then held the book up for inspection.  
  
"White leather," Anna said as she examined the book. "Gold lettering. Worn pages. It looks like Lily's book."  
  
"The one that she started to keep after she and James started that project?" Sirius looked up sharply at his sister.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"This could be the answer, if we could open it," Remus mused.  
  
"Think," Hermione said out loud. "There's got to be a logical answer to this puzzle."  
  
Ron hugged her from behind, and whispered in her ear. "Not everything's logical, you know."  
  
"Hush," she whispered back.  
  
Dumbledore started to voice his thoughts aloud. "Lily wouldn't have chosen anything obvious, in fact she would go with something that would be totally unexpected, especially for her."  
  
"That's right," Anna agreed. "You could never tell with Lily."  
  
Sirius jumped up. "Loch Ness."  
  
The book opened, and the same male voice that had spoken to them in the chamber greeted them again. "That is correct."  
  
Anna looked at Sirius, confused. "How did you know?"  
  
Sirius shrugged. "It was a private joke between Lily, James, and I. No one else would know, and those of us who were in on the joke would have never thought that she would have chosen 'Loch Ness' as the password. So, naturally, she did."  
  
Hermione read a bit of the book, and shook her head. "This is amazing. No, this is brilliant." Her face glowed. "Harry, I think you've found the answer."  
  
**  
  
Have you hugged your stuffed Remus today? Tested In Fire Fans  
  
Okay, so that was totally ripped from Caitlyn, but siriusly, come join us! 


	21. A Hard Day's Night

For myself, because I deserve it. No, I'm just kidding. This is for Zach, because he does deserve it. After all, it's not everyone who gives you a poster with Legolas on it because he feels like it.  
  
Chapter Twenty: A Hard Day's Night  
  
"Loch Ness? The password was Loch Ness?" Remus could hardly believe it. "Of course, I've only heard stories, but."  
  
Sirius grinned. "Ah, that's all they were, I'm sure. Stories. James and I never got into any sort of trouble when we were in school. We were too smart to get into trouble with Lily."  
  
Anna snorted. "Sure."  
  
Harry leaned forward, and Ginny noticed how he was intrigued by the conversation. She thought that if you had never met your parents, perhaps stories about their school days would be interesting.  
  
"I'm curious to know who this voice is that keeps interrupting things," Hermione spoke up, voicing Ginny's other thought.  
  
Dumbledore merely smiled. "That is a story for another day. I'm more curious to see what exactly is in that book."  
  
There was a subtle knock on the door. "Professor Dumbledore, you signaled the staff?" Snape's voice was greasy and polite.  
  
"Yes, come in."  
  
A group of Professors entered the room and glanced around, confused.  
  
"What's going on?" Professor Sprout's voice was tired and irritated.  
  
"Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley have made quite the discovery," Professor Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Perhaps it will change the tides of the war. For all of us," he said, exchanging a significant glance with Snape.  
  
"It's just a book," Ron mumbled.  
  
"Hush," Hermione admonished him. "If you don't have anything intelligent to say, don't say anything at all."  
  
Ron grinned up at her, and she blushed when she realized that he had been teasing. "Sorry, Ron."  
  
He leaned toward her ear and whispered suggestively, "You'll have to make it up to me later."  
  
"Ronald Weasley!" Even though she reprimanded him, Ron noticed that, judging by her blush, she wasn't exactly displeased.  
  
Meanwhile, Ginny had opened the book. "Hermione, you'd have better have a close look at this. It's some sort of ancient runes, or different language, or something. When she does bother to write in English, it's so muddled that I just don't understand. That's only the first few pages, though."  
  
Hermione smiled as she read the book over Ginny's shoulder. "It's not muddled English, it's shorthand. It's the way I keep all my notes. That way I can copy them quickly for people who forget to take their own."  
  
"What's so special about this book that's got us up this early in the morning?" Snape demanded to know.  
  
"It's Lily's," Remus said gently, then watched Severus's face grow pale.  
  
"Lily?"  
  
Sirius nodded. "It's the genuine article."  
  
"But no one's seen that in more than a decade. James and Lily didn't even keep it with them, at least not at their house. I know Voldemort has looked for it."  
  
Clearly, Ginny noted, there was more going on here than met the eye. What Dumbledore said next confirmed her suspicions.  
  
"No one was supposed to find it, until we were quite ready to."  
  
"What do you mean?" Severus's voice was sharp, accusing. "Are you saying you've known where this has been the entire time? Lives. lives could have been saved! You're toying with."  
  
"Peace, Severus. I did not know where James and Lily had chosen to keep the book. Even if I did, I strongly suspect that I would not have been able to get to it. Unless I miss my guess, and I rarely do, the only people that would have been able to retrieve that book are Harry and Ginny. Harry because he is the only descendant of the Potter line, and Ginny because she is a Seer, among other things."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, what exactly where James and Lily working on?" It was Hermione's turn to look at the Professor with wary eyes.  
  
"I'm afraid I don't know. Telling me would have endangered the project. It was something along the lines of a spell to defeat Voldemort, possibly even a counter-charm to deflect Avada Kedavra."  
  
"Well, we know that they found the counter-charm for the Killing Curse," Harry said bitterly.  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "It would have only worked for a very powerful witch or wizard, and only one who truly wished to lay down his or her life for the person on the unfriendly end of that curse."  
  
Hermione shouted. "Yes! This is brilliant, and it just might work! Of course, it's still in the early stages of development ."  
  
The others in the room stared as she went off on a monologue that consisted mainly of mumbling, hand gestures and unintelligible phrases that she never seemed to finish.  
  
"What is it exactly, Miss Granger?" Snape sneered at her.  
  
Hermione pushed her hair away from her face. "Well, it's a spell to capture Voldemort, to defeat him without destroying the balance. It's not perfect, and it probably won't work as is, but if we simply make a few changes."  
  
"Why won't it work, Miss Granger?"  
  
Hermione stared Snape down, her gaze seeming to pierce through layers of his skin. "Because it specifically states that the spell-caster would suffer a fate worse than any I would wish on anybody, let alone those on our side who would be willing to go through with such a thing."  
  
"That's not entirely specific."  
  
"Well, here's the gist of it. The spell-caster would be consumed. Eaten alive. Destroyed. Their bones would melt while they were still alive, and that's just the beginning."  
  
Horrified glances were exchanged.  
  
"You got all that from reading a few pages?" Ron asked, his voice slightly squeaky.  
  
"Well, it's standard shorthand, and Lily must have a been a very direct person. She certainly made no bones about writing this down. Perhaps she wanted to discourage someone."  
  
"Probably herself," Anna muttered, and Remus made a sound of agreement.  
  
"Or James," Sirius added.  
  
There was silence in the room.  
  
"Look," the Arthimancy professor said, breaking the silence, "spells can be modified- rewritten. Perhaps we can 'fix' this spell so that it won't require a human sacrifice."  
  
Hermione nodded. "It sounds like a reasonable idea to me."  
  
"How much time will it take?"  
  
Hermione bit her lip. "Well, that's the hard part. You see, it'd probably take someone who does this for a living quite a bit of time. Three months, at the least."  
  
"Three months!"  
  
"Of course, the other problem is that this is a practical application of magic that has only been theory, until now. Additionally, this spell is for capturing a human, and Voldemort, from what we've seen, isn't quite. well, human, anymore."  
  
Sirius nearly snarled, but he managed to keep control of himself. "Then we'd better start working on it right away, as there isn't anyone who writes spells from scratch that's alive."  
  
"Can someone hand me a quill?" Hermione asked, as she began to mumble to herself again.  
  
Ron hastily handed her one of his that had been sitting on his nightstand. As she reached over to take it, he laid a gentle and discreet kiss on her cheek. "You're wonderful."  
  
She grinned at him, then moved over to sit next to Dumbledore. Quickly, the Professors assembled behind her to get to work.  
  
Occasionally one of them would pause her to make some correction, or exclaim in surprise, but Harry and Ginny were too exhausted to care.  
  
A short time later, Madam Pomfrey came into the room.  
  
"Anyone who is not injured, out! I have patients who need sleep. Out! Out! All of you!"  
  
With some minor grumbling and moaning, the Professors and Hermione headed out. However, before Hermione left the room, she paused by Ginny's bed.  
  
"Next time you go out and try to get yourselves killed, let me know ahead of time. Okay?"  
  
"All right, Hermione."  
  
When the door closed gently, and Harry and Ginny could hear the distant sound of Ron's snoring, Ginny turned towards Harry one more time.  
  
"Harry. Hey, Harry."  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"I have the other prophecy in my pocket. It fell into my pocket."  
  
Harry blinked. "I- I can't think. We'll talk later."  
  
Ginny yawned. "We can wait. Good night."  
  
She didn't have to wait very long until she heard the soft and soothing sound of Harry's breathing. "Well, that didn't take long. I just can't help but wonder what I've got myself into this time."  
  
**  
  
A few days later, Hermione and the Professors had made very little real progress with the spell begun by Harry's parents, and Harry and Ginny hadn't had time to meet alone.  
  
On this particular Saturday morning, Harry and Ginny were sitting across from each other at breakfast in the Great Hall, trying not to look at each other while Hermione chatted easily about her research.  
  
"If only I felt like I had more time," she would say constantly, "then we could do this properly. Maybe I could get it working right. Thank goodness for the professors. They just don't give up."  
  
Harry had a feeling it was really, "Thank goodness for Hermione", and he knew for a fact that he didn't like this rushed feeling at all, either.  
  
Ron would be out of the Hospital Wing in time for the first Gryffindor Quidditch match, another thing Harry felt that he wasn't ready for. Mrs. Weasley had gone home a week ago, but she would be coming back up to watch the match.  
  
Pushing his eggs around his plate, Harry almost missed Ginny's raised eyebrows. In fact, he wasn't really paying attention to much of anything until Ginny placed a well aimed kick to his shin.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"How about a walk around the lake?" Ginny asked, looking perfectly innocent, despite the fact that a number of Gryffindors were looking at Harry like he'd lost his mind.  
  
"Oh, but we were going to visit Ron," Hermione protested.  
  
"We'll let you two have some time alone. It's about time you did anyway, right, Harry?"  
  
"Um, yes."  
  
"Go on, and do whatever it is you do with my brother when no one else is around. Just don't tell me about it."  
  
Hermione laughed. "Harry?"  
  
"Go on, you know you've been dying to get away from us and have him to yourself."  
  
"Well, if you're sure you don't mind."  
  
"Go!" they chorused.  
  
As Hermione dashed off, Harry chuckled.  
  
"What is going through your mind, Harry Potter?"  
  
"Maybe she'll be a bit more. relaxed when she gets back," Harry mused.  
  
Ginny blushed. "Harry."  
  
"Yes?" It was his turn to look innocent. "Let's go for that walk you wanted to take."  
  
"All right."  
  
They made their excuses to the people sitting around them, and managed to get away fairly quickly.  
  
They set off down the path towards the lake, but they did not speak until they were sure that they were entirely alone.  
  
"We're out of everyone's hearing range. Let's talk," Harry started.  
  
"Okay. In the book there was a loose-leaf sheet of paper," Ginny explained. "It fell into my pocket, and it would have stayed there, I suspect, if I had tried to pull it out."  
  
"My parents were thorough, at least," Harry commented dryly and made her laugh.  
  
"I'm sure we would have been the same way."  
  
Harry grunted. "I'm sure."  
  
Ginny smiled. "Besides, I think that this one is just for us, even it was the one given by the false Seer."  
  
"Even a broken clock is right twice a day," Harry said, then shrugged. "Let's see it, then."  
  
They bent over the paper that Ginny pulled from her pocket, on which an elegantly flowing script and recorded:  
  
Of the Stag and Flower comes a son so bold-  
  
As a Gryphon he will be called  
  
From two with flaming hair comes a maiden fair,  
  
Together they shall battle the Dark Lord  
  
The Dark Lord has much to fear of these two  
  
For in their net they will capture the essence of him  
  
It all goes well- as I wish it will  
  
A traitor lies in wait among them  
  
He is not to be dismissed  
  
But among you also lies one of great Strength  
  
A servant of Maid and Gryphon will fall,  
  
But in the end the servant wins  
  
Tides come and go  
  
Seasons pass with alarming speed  
  
Until this prophecy comes of use, I will sleep  
  
"Hope," Ginny whispered.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"That's what this second prophecy is. It's hope."  
  
"It doesn't guarantee that we'll win. It says the servant will. Someone else has to die." Harry spat. "No one would should have to die."  
  
Ginny bit her lip. "I don't think we'll ever get that kind of guarantee. If anyone dies, it will be someone who is willing. and nothing about the prophecy is concrete. We can change it, if we wish. We can change the future."  
  
"I agree."  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Never mind. Do we show the others this?"  
  
"Yes," Harry said after a moment's pause. "But I think that when it comes right down to it, it's just going to be you and me."  
  
Ginny smiled, wanting to ask all kinds of questions, wanting desperately to know where she stood. Was that kiss they'd shared meaningless? Was he finally coming to see her as more than Ron's little sister? Was there something under that mask he was wearing that knew what she felt for him?  
  
Harry cut off her train of thought. "What do you think of this traitor business?"  
  
"I don't want to think about it at all," Ginny responded thoughtfully. "To think that someone is watching us- reporting our movements- that frightens me."  
  
Harry nodded, and considered carefully his next comment. "My father. In looking for his traitor, he made a mistake, and he lost it all."  
  
"All I know is that I don't want to be constantly looking over my shoulder worrying about what I'm saying, or what I'm doing."  
  
"I don't know, Gin. That might be how we have to play it."  
  
"I can't live that way."  
  
"I can." Harry's smile was bitter. "I remember thinking about Snape. wondering where his loyalties truly lied. Now, there's no doubt. Damn, but it was easier when everything was black and white, you know?"  
  
Ginny nodded. They were sitting together, having slid to that position without really noticing it. She hugged her knees to her chest and looked over the lake.  
  
"I don't think you ever had it easy."  
  
"Easy wasn't in the job description," Harry tossed back. Then considered her words more carefully. "I had it easier than some people, though."  
  
Ginny watched a parade of emotions run across his face. Suddenly she stood and forced a smile. "Good luck tomorrow. I hope you trounce those Hufflepuffs."  
  
"Are you coming?"  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," she said with a laugh, then bent over and kissed his cheek.  
  
As Harry watched her walk away, he caressed the spot she had graced with her lips. He was unaware of a pair of eyes watching him intently.  
  
"Interesting," the watcher whispered. "Very interesting."  
  
**  
  
Tested In Fire Fans Come discuss with us! 


	22. Gryffindor Versus Hufflepuff

For those overseas in military positions. Here's a bit of fun for all of us.  
  
Chapter Twenty-One: Gryffindor Versus Hufflepuff  
  
Harry woke up with his usual Quidditch-day jitters. Today, though, there was something different mixed in with his unstable emotions. Perhaps it was the fact that Remus, Anna and Sirius would all be there to watch him potentially embarrass himself.  
  
Security was tight all around the castle. There were a number a number of strange men that nobody recognized up at the staff table, whom Ron, who was now allowed to join his classmates, thought were Aurors.  
  
"Though I've got to admit, they are kind of creepy," he mumbled as he chomped through a sausage.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione rebuked.  
  
"Look, Harry, I know I can't play this year, but I've spent some time thinking about it, and look." He drew out a quill and a piece of parchment and started to sketch a Quidditch pitch. Immediately the two boys were swept up in a conversation.  
  
"Bless you, Ron," Hermione muttered. "Come on, Ginny, I've got something to show you. We'll be back in time to see the match."  
  
Ginny stood reluctantly and began to follow Hermione.  
  
"Ginny!" Harry called out.  
  
"I'll see you at the match. Until then, bye!"  
  
"What was that all about?" Ron asked.  
  
"I dunno. You tell me."  
  
Completely baffled, the two boys returned to their discussion of Quidditch tactics.  
  
"Hermione, where are we going?"  
  
"To the library, of course."  
  
"Of course," Ginny echoed. "Where else would we be going?"  
  
Hermione didn't hear her. "It's time we sat down and talked."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"I'll explain once we get a table." Hermione pushed open the door to the library. "After you."  
  
Ginny shrugged. "All right, Hermione. What's going on?"  
  
"It's the spell."  
  
"The spell to capture Voldemort?"  
  
"Yes. Honestly, this turning out to be a disaster."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that there's no way this will work."  
  
"Hermione, you've got to be more specific. Why won't it work?"  
  
"Oh, it will work all right, at least in the way that you mean, but there's no way Ron and I are going to let you and Harry use it. You'd have to cast it, you know. It's written specifically for you two."  
  
"Why won't you and Ron let us use it? I think it should be a personal decision, don't you? It's my life, not yours."  
  
"I was afraid you'd say that," Hermione muttered. "It's like this. The risk is far too great for anyone to cast, even if it were to be you and Harry. I haven't even developed it all the way, and I know that much."  
  
"Hermione."  
  
"Look. James and Lily Potter wrote that spell for someone who was a Seer. Only a Seer- and for someone who's Animagus form is a griffin. It's there in their notes. The first problem is that we don't know that Harry would transform into that shape."  
  
Ginny rolled her fingernails against the wood of the table and pondered for a moment just how much to tell Hermione. In the end, she decided the direct route would be safest.  
  
"Yes, we do."  
  
Hermione looked sharply at her friend with eyes that saw more than anyone else's that Ginny knew.  
  
Ginny sighed and pushed away from the table, ready for the explosion of her friend's temper.  
  
"We know that it is, according to the second prophecy."  
  
"Which you happen to have in your pocket?" Hermione suggested sarcastically.  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes."  
  
Hermione closed her eyes and began to move her mouth. Unless Ginny was very much mistaken, Hermione was counting to ten slowly. After a time, she spoke. "Why didn't you tell anyone that you had the second prophecy? It would have made things a lot easier for everyone else."  
  
"Because Harry and I, that is, we, um, decided to."  
  
"Harry and I? We? Decided what?" Hermione's breath was coming in short intakes and she was turning very red. It reminded Ginny very uncomfortably of her mother.  
  
"Well, um, the second prophecy has a lot to do with, you know, us."  
  
"For goodness sake!"  
  
"Hermione."  
  
"No. You listen to me. You and Harry have been living in this little world that the rest of us can't get to. You don't seem to understand that we're dealing with the Dark Lord here. It's not going to be a picnic. Nothing is going to be handed to you on a silver platter. You've got to utilize what you have! Do you even know what you have? You have me, you have Ron, you have some of the most brilliant professors Hogwarts has ever seen, and you have Professor Dumbledore. None of us can help you reach your happy ending if you don't give us a chance! That means that we have to know what's going on. You can't leave us in the dark! Lack of knowledge means that your brother is going to walk with a limp for the rest of his life. Lack of knowledge means that we will never see Dean Thomas again! Merlin's beard, Ginny, we can't afford anything more happening! I'm trying my best, can't you see? I'm trying, and I can't get through to you people."  
  
"Hermione."  
  
"There's got to be another way to defeat Lord Voldemort, prophecy or no prophecy. If you use that capturing spell, you'll die. It's as simple as that."  
  
Hermione began to try to massage her headache from her temples.  
  
"Why?" Ginny's voice cut through her momentary relief of pain.  
  
"Because that spell allows you to capture his - that is to say, Lord Voldemort's power in a locket or some other material thing.  
  
"So? How is that bad?"  
  
"That is bad because the energy it would take to capture his power would be phenomenal. You and Harry are up there, but we're talking quite literally hundreds of units of power. Add in the fact that you have to contain him to an object, which is nearly impossible, by the way, and you've got a recipe that will cook up certain energy-drain and then death."  
  
Ginny shook her head. "I don't- I don't understand."  
  
Hermione hissed. "It won't be a nice way to die, Ginny. It would be like having all of the water in your body sucked out in a single gulp. Your skin would shrivel and your eyes would dry out. Your cells would begin to struggle to find any source of water and would resort to cannibalistic behavior. You'd die very quickly. But that's just the beginning."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You and Harry would be trapped with him. Your spirits would have to coexist peacefully in this locket. Or the power would course through you. With the both of you having as much raw magic as you do, neither one of you would be able to handle it. There would be a possibility of your energies canceling each other out, leaving a void where England used to be."  
  
Ginny hissed.  
  
"That's right. You'd be playing with some pretty serious magic."  
  
"But James and Lily must have thought they could have modified it, or something."  
  
"They did. They were moving on to that stage when Voldemort killed them."  
  
"Is there any way it can be avoided?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "Of course. If I had about a decade and thousands of hours of free time. Then I would have to know when, where and how Voldemort would strike. Even then, there's a good possibility that it would backfire."  
  
"Well," Ginny rose and forced her voice to level. "We'll decide what to do when the time comes."  
  
Hermione couldn't bear the look in her friend's eye. "Ginny. No. Don't be a martyr. Just let us work out a different way. I know there's something."  
  
"Well, if you believe it, I believe it. Nothing will be decided rashly. Okay?"  
  
Hermione drew a shaky breath. "Okay."  
  
"Right now, we've got a Quidditch match to go to."  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"It will work out."  
  
"Thanks, Hermione."  
  
**  
  
The crowd seemed to Harry to be in higher spirits than usual. He had given his usual pep talk in the changing room, and he briefly considered his teammates.  
  
James Flannigan, Sean O'Connor and Trisha MacGregor, the second-year Gaelic threesome, were his Chasers for this season. Marie Smith and John Williams had taken over as Beaters last year. His Keeper was Chionia MacGregor. On the whole, Gryffindor had a good chance of winning.  
  
Quickly, Harry scanned the crowd, looking for two familiar redheads. He spotted Ron, who was limping slightly on his right leg, which had gone the longest without treatment. Ron, noticing Harry's gaze, waved his right hand in a semblance of a wave. Harry returned the favor.  
  
Behind Ron, with her hand on his back to support him, was Hermione. Following Ron's gaze, she saw Harry and waved enthusiastically.  
  
Ginny was the last person he saw. Her hair was in wild disarray from the wind and the walk to the pitch. She laughed at something Hermione said, then her eyes landed on Harry's face. She grinned and waved, but Harry saw that her eyes were troubled.  
  
He shook off his sense of foreboding. He owed it to his teammates to give one hundred percent of his attention to the match. So, with an effort, he forced his mind back to Quidditch.  
  
"All right, Captains. Shake hands," Madam Hooch instructed. Harry grasped the Hufflepuff's hand and smiled.  
  
"Good luck," he said, trying to hide how nervous he was.  
  
"Aye, good luck to you as well."  
  
"Teams, mount your brooms!"  
  
Both teams did so, and Harry looked over his team once more. He began to murmur under his breath. "Catch the Snitch, catch the Snitch."  
  
Madam Hooch blasted her shrill whistle and both teams were off.  
  
"Here we go!" Ron's excited voice came over the magical megaphone. Harry was only slightly surprised. "Gryffindor is in possession of the Quaffle. O'Connor passes to Flannigan, Flannigan shoots-And it's a MISS!"  
  
Harry winced, but his quick green eyes were still looking for the Snitch.  
  
"Hufflepuff now with the Quaffle. Murray passes to Weston- Weston fumbles and throws over the Quaffle to Sydney. Sydney takes a shot- but it's blocked by Gryffindor Keeper MacGregor! MacGregor kicks it back out to O'Connor, who takes it down the length of the pitch! She shoots! SCORE! 10- 0 Gryffindor!"  
  
The red and gold side of the stadium erupted in cheers, but the game didn't slow down.  
  
"Gryffindor Beaters Smith and Weston hit one of the Bludgers over toward Hufflepuff Seeker Jones, but he's too quick to be hit! It's a narrow miss though!"  
  
Boos came from the Hufflepuff side as Harry's eyes pierced the pitch.  
  
"That'll be a penalty to Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff Chasers makes the shot! We're tied at 10-10!"  
  
In the stands, Ginny and Hermione watched the game closely, not really speaking to one another. The words that Hermione had said to her less than an hour ago kept running through Ginny's mind.  
  
"Don't be a martyr," Hermione had said. Ginny bit her lip and closed her eyes momentarily. She wished, desperately for a moment, that none of this were real. That she could make it go away with a potion or a wand flick or something.  
  
"Well, hello everyone. Sorry we're late." The cheerful male voice caught Ginny by surprise.  
  
"Dad!"  
  
She jumped up and was immediately enveloped in her father's arms.  
  
"Hello, my little one. How's the game going? Oh, hello, Hermione. Hi, Ron. So, tell me, Hermione, how are your parents?"  
  
Hermione grinned. "Their dentist office is booming. Naturally they complain about the state of the general public's oral hygiene, but I know that they're enjoying themselves."  
  
"The game's tied 10-10! Harry hasn't seen the Snitch yet. At least, I don't think so," Ginny said very fast.  
  
Her mother's eyes narrowed, and she made a point to sit next to her daughter.  
  
"What's wrong? Harry?"  
  
"No, Harry's wonderful. Look at him." Ginny's distracted eyes certainly were.  
  
"Ginny."  
  
"We'll talk about it later, Mum."  
  
"Gryffindor has scored again! 20-10 Gryffindor!" Ron was practically jumping up and down in his seat.  
  
"Maybe we should have a chat right now," Molly suggested firmly.  
  
"Mum, I just, I don't know."  
  
"Of course you don't know. That's because we haven't talked."  
  
"There's so much to tell you. Let's wait until I can think, all right?"  
  
"All right."  
  
Up in the air, Harry was frantically searching for the Snitch. He wasn't worried yet, but he liked to be aware of the general direction in which the Snitch was located. Now he had no clue. Suddenly, his eyes lit.  
  
"Found you," he muttered and urged his Firebolt to a higher speed.  
  
"It looks like Potter has seen the Snitch! He's diving."  
  
The noise of the crowd disappeared around him as Harry entered a zone where nothing existed except for himself and the Snitch. In fact, he didn't see the Bludger at all, until it smashed into his ankle. The whole stadium heard the crunch.  
  
"Son of a." but Harry's voice trailed off as he found his target again, the Golden Snitch.  
  
"Potter hasn't even stopped! I always knew he was crazy, but this is beyond anything I've seen! He sees the Snitch! Jones is in hot pursuit- but doesn't even have a chance! Harry Potter has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins! 170-10!"  
  
**  
  
Remus/Anna, Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione. Come Discuss with Us! Tested In Fire Fans 


	23. Minor Distractions

For Chelle, who doesn't really understand but loves me anyway.  
  
Chapter 22: Minor Distractions  
  
Hermione and Ron were walking side by side through the corridors, a comfortable silence between them.  
  
That is, until Hermione broke it.  
  
"What do you think, Ron?"  
  
Ron paused a moment in his walking and reviewed the past few minutes. He was quite certain Hermione hadn't been talking.  
  
"What do I think about what?"  
  
"Harry and Ginny."  
  
"Harry's my best mate and Ginny's my little sister."  
  
"Well, obviously."  
  
They walked a bit further. Hermione saw very quickly that Ron wasn't going to say anything else.  
  
"Honestly! Ginny's always had a bit of a crush on Harry."  
  
"That's obvious," Ron muttered.  
  
"I meant, what do you think about Harry and Ginny as a couple?"  
  
"We'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it."  
  
"Ron, I think we've come to that bridge now."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I mean that I think Harry is returning Ginny's affections."  
  
"No."  
  
"What do you mean no?"  
  
"I mean that Harry would have told me."  
  
"Honestly, Ronald Weasley, sometimes you amaze even me with how dense you can be!"  
  
"Hermione, I feel like I'm missing something here. Harry hasn't said anything to me."  
  
"Well, he wouldn't, now would he? He's probably deathly afraid you'll attack him, or something."  
  
"Why would he think that?"  
  
"He probably thinks that because of some of the comments you've made when others have attempted to get to know your little sister better."  
  
"Well, that's different. None of them were Harry. Not that I like the idea of my little sister and Harry actually dating."  
  
Hermione sighed. "She's got to grow up sometime."  
  
"Growing up doesn't necessarily mean having boyfriends."  
  
"What, did you want her to go from single to married in a day?"  
  
"No, Hermione, that's not what I meant at all."  
  
"Who better than Harry to take care of Ginny, anyway?"  
  
"Hermione, why are we having this conversation?"  
  
"I want to make sure that if something does happen, we know exactly where you stand."  
  
Ron smiled. "All right, then. I guess I could handle it. Just as long as he doesn't talk about anything in front of me."  
  
Hermione laughed. "I'm sure he feels the same way about you."  
  
"We don't have that problem. I don't kiss and tell." He reached out and grabbed her hand.  
  
"Well, that's good," Hermione said dubiously, not sure what Ron was up to.  
  
"I'm a very good kisser. I don't have to tell anyone about it, but I think that I'm a bit out of practice."  
  
Hermione blushed. "Out of practice? Honestly, we just were."  
  
"Shhhh. We don't want to give away our secrets."  
  
Hermione squeezed his hand in amusement. She liked Ron in his silly moods. They reminded her of a toned-down Fred and George.  
  
"All right then. I won't tell Ginny and Harry about."  
  
"No, Hermione. I don't even want to think about that."  
  
They strolled a bit further down, their hands swinging to the rhythm of their steps. Rarely could they just be alone together at Hogwarts. Every chance they got they took advantage of.  
  
"Ron, I'm scared."  
  
"It's just the Charms hallway, Hermione."  
  
"No, not about that."  
  
Ron sighed. "I had a feeling it wasn't going to be that simple."  
  
"It's this spell. I told Ginny all about it, you know, but I don't think that she was listening to me. I mean, she listened, I just don't think that she."  
  
Ron nodded. "I don't think you'll have much better luck with Harry. He just wants Voldemort gone."  
  
"That's what all of us want. It's just that I'd rather Harry and Ginny were with us when Voldemort isn't."  
  
Hermione's brown eyes filled with tears for a moment.  
  
"Hey, don't start that now." Ron's clumsy thumb brushed under her eye to pick up the tears.  
  
"I'm so tired, Ron. So tired I can't even think straight."  
  
"Maybe you should sleep then," he suggested mildly.  
  
"I try. Every time I lie down, my mind fills with all those meaningless symbols, and I rerun the equations and I can't force my mind to turn off."  
  
Ron narrowed his eyes. He hated to see Hermione this way. "That would make sleeping difficult."  
  
Hermione laughed ruefully. "It does, believe me."  
  
"Have you tried a Sleeping Potion?"  
  
Hermione shook her head. "I hate the way that they make me feel. Besides, if you use them too often you get addicted to them."  
  
"One night's sleep on a Potion is not going to hurt you, and you certainly won't end up addicted. Besides, you'll be able to think better if you've had your sleep."  
  
"I know, it's just that."  
  
"It's just that you're being mildly ridiculous," he finished for her.  
  
"All right then. I guess you win that one."  
  
"Of course I win that one."  
  
Before Hermione could open her mouth to protest, Ron sealed it with his lips. "Ssssh."  
  
Hermione sighed. "You know," she said after the kiss ended, just a bit out of breath, "if you keep going on that way, I won't need a Sleeping Potion to empty my mind."  
  
Ron chuckled low in his throat. "That's the idea."  
  
They were at the Fat Lady's portrait before Hermione could believe it.  
  
"Password?" she asked, pointedly not looking in their eyes.  
  
"Dormiens," Hermione said firmly.  
  
The portrait swung open, and they both stepped inside the common room, clinging to each other and laughing. Ron pushed Hermione up the stairs that led to her dormitory, but not before they'd had several goodnight kisses.  
  
"Goodnight, Ron," Hermione said finally.  
  
"Goodnight, Hermione."  
  
As he watched his girlfriend race up the stairs, Ron shook his head in bemusement. Then their conversation hit him, and he shook his head for an entirely different reason.  
  
"There can't be anything between them. There just can't," he murmured to himself.  
  
Harry was in the corner, reading his book and turning the pages absently. If the truth were to be told, he wasn't really reading, more like passing the time until Ron saw him there.  
  
"'Lo, Harry."  
  
Harry raised his startlingly green eyes to meet his friend's. "Hello, Ron."  
  
"Hermione and I just had an interesting conversation."  
  
"You were talking?" Harry sounded shocked.  
  
"Shut up, Harry."  
  
Harry shrugged. "It isn't my business what you do with your girlfriend, it's just that in my experience, you two don't spend a lot of time talking. You're either screaming at each other or making up."  
  
"That's not true."  
  
Harry nodded. "Of course it's not."  
  
"Harry, what's going on?"  
  
"Well, it looks to me like I'm reading my book, and you're talking to me."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. "You're in a fine mood."  
  
Harry shrugged again. He didn't suppose that he could tell his friend the reason for his unbearably good mood was his best friend's little sister, and the amazing kiss they'd shared.  
  
"Sometimes I am."  
  
"Harry, are you snogging my little sister?"  
  
Harry promptly dropped the book and picked it up again. "No."  
  
Ron's shrewd eyes caught the evasiveness of Harry's. "No? Do you want to snog my little sister?"  
  
"Well, the thought had crossed my mind."  
  
"Bloody hell."  
  
Ron turned on his heel and paced a bit.  
  
Harry grinned. "She is very attractive, you know."  
  
"There's more to Ginny than looks."  
  
"I know. She's also smart, and funny, and hopelessly in love with me. I don't see what the problem is."  
  
"Harry, I'll."  
  
"Just joking, Ron."  
  
Ron let out a sigh of relief. "I thought you were serious when you said that you thought about snogging my sister."  
  
"Well, I was serious about that."  
  
"Harry, this is a problem."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"Because she's my little sister, that's why!"  
  
Harry grinned. "Ron, it's okay. We're not involved or anything, yet."  
  
"Bloody hell. Bloody hell."  
  
"Okay, Ron. I'll put it this way. I think I like your sister. Really like her. Not because of the way she looks, or whatever else you may be thinking of, but because she's Ginny. All right?"  
  
Ron shuddered. "All right."  
  
Harry's mouth broke wider. "But when we do start snogging, I'll let you know first thing."  
  
Ron actually turned white. "No, no. Don't tell me. Don't tell me anything. I don't want to know."  
  
"Got it. I won't tell you that your sister has amazing."  
  
"You stupid git. I don't want to hear that!"  
  
Harry chuckled. "I know."  
  
"Besides, Hermione approves, so I guess it's okay."  
  
"Hermione approves?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Bloody hell."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
The two exchanged conspiratorial grins. "How about a game of chess, Ron?"  
  
"Are you sure you're in the mood to get your arse kicked?"  
  
"No, I'm in the mood to kick your arse. That's why I asked."  
  
"No, you are definitely going to lose. It's only a matter of time. Besides, Ron, it's about time I exacted revenge for all the previous arse-kickings."  
  
"Not my fault you couldn't play chess if someone hit you over the head with a method book."  
  
"Excuse me, who taught me?"  
  
The boys turned to the banter that they were familiar with, and everything seemed right with the world. Except for the observer, who was shuddering in fear.  
  
"No, no! Not master. No! Winky does not want to do that!"  
  
"Go on, you stupid house-elf! Do as I say or I shall make mincemeat out of your precious Dobby!"  
  
"Winky will not be harming Dobby's Harry Potter!"  
  
"Harry Potter does not belong to anyone, except me. I will kill him, and you will help me do so!"  
  
"Winky does not wish to harm Harry Potter!"  
  
"Your wishes have nothing to do with it. My wishes are law."  
  
"You is not Winky's master."  
  
"No?" The single word alone made the poor house-elf shudder.  
  
"Winky will tell Professor Dumbledore!"  
  
"Winky will do no such thing. Besides, there's nothing that pompous old windbag will do for you."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore is a good man!"  
  
The voice laughed, and it produced a reaction of disgust in Winky's small body. "I'm sure. You will carry out your orders by the end of the week."  
  
The presence left the small house-elf.  
  
"Winky is not doing no such thing!" She took a step towards the Headmaster's office. "Winky does not wish Dobby to be mad at Winky."  
  
Her steps were not steady as those of a normal house-elf would have been, and she almost tripped over her own outfit.  
  
"Winky is telling the Headmaster about the Evil He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." She repeated it over and over, almost like a mantra.  
  
Unfortunately, she never got that far. 


	24. A Series of Really Bad Things

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Series of Really Bad Things  
  
"Harry Potter must wake up! Dobby has come to see Harry Potter!"  
  
Harry sat up abruptly in bed and reached for his glasses. He'd become almost used to Dobby's rude awakenings.  
  
"What is it, Dobby?"  
  
"Harry Potter must help Dobby find Winky! It is most important."  
  
Harry blinked. "What?"  
  
"Winky is missing, Harry Potter."  
  
"Why didn't you go to Dumbledore?"  
  
Dobby jumped. "Harry Potter must help Dobby find Winky! Winky wasn't being herself, sir."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Winky was talking to herself, Harry Potter sir, about things most violent in nature. Dobby is afraid that Winky has hurt herself."  
  
Harry swung his legs over the side of his bed. "All right, Dobby. I'm coming." Then he had a flash of inspiration. "Oy, Ron!"  
  
"Whazzit?"  
  
"Winky's gone missing. We're helping Dobby find her."  
  
"What's this 'we' rubbish?"  
  
"It means you're getting off your arse and helping me. If I have to suffer, I will not suffer alone."  
  
"Right. But if we get caught," he yawned, "I'm telling Snape it's your fault."  
  
They clomped through the dormitory, down the stairs, and out into the corridors. They didn't have to go far to find her, though. She was sitting next to a suit of armor.  
  
Ron cursed loudly. Harry winced, and Dobby sobbed loudly. Winky was sitting up, but her eyes were closed and her head was tilted to the side. She hadn't died peacefully, that much was obvious. Her hands were covered in some reddish liquid that Harry identified as blood.  
  
"We've got to go to Dumbledore's office," Harry decided, trying to hold back the lump of bile that was trying to force its way up his throat.  
  
"WINKY!" Dobby sobbed, and ran towards her body. He swept her up in his small arms and cried bitterly.  
  
Harry took off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his eyes.  
  
"This isn't good, Ron. Look," he said, pointing to a trail of blood that was not quite red. "Whoever killed her didn't use Avada Kedavra. They used an old-fashioned knife."  
  
Dobby let out another howl and buried his head in the dead house-elf's shoulder.  
  
"Poor Winky, poor Winky," he murmured over and over again. "Don't worry, Harry Potter will find out who did this."  
  
Harry felt a tight hand constrict on his heart and throat. "Dobby, I."  
  
"What is the meaning of all this?" There stood Professor Sirius Black with a dangerous glint in his eye. "What are you doing out of bounds after hours, Harry?"  
  
"Professor, Dobby woke me up to get my aid in finding another house-elf. Well, sir, we found her."  
  
Sirius's face went white, and he echoed Ron's earlier profane statement.  
  
"Come with me to Professor Dumbledore's office. I'll summon the other staff," he instructed Harry and Ron quickly. Then he moved on to Dobby. "Come on, my small friend. Let go of her. Let go of her so we can find out who did this."  
  
"W-w-w-winky! Dobby told her to be careful. Dobby told her that dangerous things were happening. Dobby told her."  
  
"Come on, Dobby," Harry said, in the best soothing voice he could muster. "If you don't let go of her, we can't find out who did this to her."  
  
Dobby unraveled himself from the body and latched onto Harry's leg. "Harry Potter will find out who killed Winky."  
  
"Yes, Dobby. Yes."  
  
"Come on," Sirius said impatiently. "To Professor Dumbledore's office. I'll have the body sent down so that the other house-elves can take care of it. Dobby, I trust you'll be the primary mourner?"  
  
Dobby nodded, still clinging to Harry. "Winky was Dobby's everything, sir."  
  
"Come on, Dobby," Harry whispered and picked up the small elf. "Let's go see Professor Dumbledore."  
  
The trip to Dumbledore's office was one of the longest of Harry's life. Dobby was sobbing and clinging to Harry's sleeve the whole way there, and Harry could only feel sympathy for his friend.  
  
"Sherbet lemon," he told the gargoyle, and entered Dumbledore's private domain.  
  
"Harry! What is going on?" Both boys were startled, as there was no logical reason for why Dumbledore would be up. Harry wondered if he didn't already know of Winky's death.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, one of the house-elves, Winky, has been." Ron gulped, and then forced himself to go on. "Killed, sir."  
  
"Professor Black saw and us and told us to come up here. He's taking the body to the other house-elves. She was stabbed, sir," Harry said, patting Dobby on the back in what he hoped was a consoling manner.  
  
The Headmaster sat back in his chair, stunned for a moment. "I will call all the teachers," he said firmly. "We'll see to it that everything turns out all right, well, as all right as it possibly can be, under the circumstances. Don't worry, we'll find out who killed your friend. They will be dealt with. Harry and Ron, please return to your dormitories. Do not wake your other classmates. An announcement will be made tomorrow morning."  
  
As he left, he tapped Dobby on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, my friend. I shouldn't have allowed this to happen."  
  
"Dobby does not blame you, sir! You did not kill my Winky."  
  
"All the same, my condolences."  
  
Dumbledore's kindness set Dobby off again.  
  
"Dobby wishes Professor Dumbledore would not feel guilty."  
  
"Yeah, me too, Dobby. Me too," Harry agreed.  
  
Professor Snape caught up with Professor Dumbledore as he was heading for Anna Black's private quarters.  
  
"Headmaster, one of my students is gone. Draco Malfoy."  
  
"This will not make Lucius happy," Dumbledore muttered. "There's been a murder, Severus."  
  
"What? One of the students?"  
  
"No. A house-elf. By all reports she was stabbed."  
  
Snape shook his head. "How terrible. This is disturbing."  
  
"Severus, if you could alert Professors Lupin, Sirius and Anna Black, and Sprout to a meeting in my office as soon as possible, I would be in your debt."  
  
"I'm on my way, Professor."  
  
"These are dangerous times. I only hope we can stop Voldemort before it gets much worse."  
  
Severus nearly stopped in his tracks. It was rare for Dumbledore to show anything to the outside world besides his belief that good would conquer in the end.  
  
"That is my worry as well, Headmaster."  
  
They parted quickly, each heading in their separate directions.  
  
Dumbledore headed down into the kitchens, the home of the house-elves. Winky was laid out on a separate table, waiting his examination. For the first time since the young Hufflepuff girl had died there was complete silence from the house-elves. However, preparations for the next day's breakfast were still underway. House-elves were so dedicated, even a death amongst their numbers would not deter them from getting their duties completed.  
  
As he looked at her body, Dumbledore felt the tears well up behind his eyes. He felt no shame in releasing them; after which he wiped them off quickly to get to work.  
  
"A knife," he muttered, "slashed her here, at the throat. She died almost instantly. Why keep going? There was no need to torture her?"  
  
Violence when there wasn't any need to defend oneself had never made any sense to Dumbledore.  
  
He examined the body, and found twenty punctures from the knife. He set his teeth against the rage and anger building up inside of him. Exploding now would do no good for anyone. Still, it was tempting to release it all like he had in the days of his youth. He was not still in his youth, though, so he held it in check.  
  
Time passed by, and slowly he rose. The house-elves turned, countless pairs of eyes watching him, stricken by grief. Even though Winky had never really been one of them, she was still a house-elf. The entire race mourned.  
  
"Don't worry. We'll know soon."  
  
As he left, the clatters and bangs returned to the kitchen. There was something comforting in that continuity, continuing to do what one did every day, he mused as he returned to his office.  
  
The entire staff was already assembled, waiting for his instructions.  
  
"I'm sure Severus has told you all that a house-elf has been killed. What he probably couldn't tell you was that Winky's life was ended by one quick slash across her throat. After Winky had already died, the perpetrator stabbed her a further nineteen times. There was definite hate here."  
  
"Or a punishment," Snape added from the back. "We should look for signs that she was under someone's control. Someone other than you, Headmaster."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "I agree. Whoever it was that she was committed to, in your theory, Severus, would have had to have minions, because I'd bet my life that the cut that killed Winky was made by a student."  
  
Severus leaned forward a moment, his quick brain working. "Headmaster, you don't think that Mr. Malfoy was responsible, do you?"  
  
"I don't know what else to conclude, Severus. We know that his father was exposing him to more and more of the Dark Arts over the holidays. It is possible that he was even made a Death Eater."  
  
Sirius spoke up. "We have no proof, Headmaster."  
  
"Draco Malfoy left the school without authorization today."  
  
There was complete silence. Sirius rose and began to pace.  
  
"That's convenient, Headmaster," Remus commented. "Winky is killed, Mr. Malfoy mysteriously disappears. It fits together too well, in my opinion."  
  
"In mine as well. Of course, there is the additional information that Mr. Malfoy couldn't have made it outside of school grounds without me knowing about, unless he had help."  
  
"His father?" Professor Sprout guessed.  
  
Professor Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"It's the only thing that makes sense," Professor McGonagall agreed.  
  
"This troubles me deeply. We know from the prophecies that Ms. Weasley and Mr. Potter have been so kind as to find for us that there is a traitor. Winky might have been the one carrying out their instructions, but who was it behind the plot?"  
  
"Pardon me, but couldn't it have been Voldemort?" Anna's tentative reply to Dumbledore's query brought silence to the group once again. "I mean," she continued in a rush, "if he had something to go on, something to threaten, you know how that poor house-elf is. She'd rush to protect it."  
  
"Dobby," Sirius breathed. "It had to have been Dobby."  
  
"Ms. Weasley said something about them being sweet on each other," Anna muttered.  
  
All the staff members looked back and forth. Tension knotted itself.  
  
"Security must increase," Dumbledore said, quite suddenly. "No student is to go to a class without the escort of a teacher, no one is to leave the dormitories. Work on the spell will increase. Ms. Granger will be excused from Arthimancy to complete it so that it is safe for the users. Everyone is to keep an eye out. Sirius, your lessons must become more intense than ever before."  
  
"Understood, Headmaster." Sirius's voice was a little strained, but he nodded in complete agreement.  
  
"The safety of the students is our primary goal. Get them through this term without any more deaths or injuries. You all are dismissed."  
  
**  
  
Harry and Ron headed back down the corridors towards the Gryffindor common room. They were tired and disgusted and sick.  
  
After the Fat Lady let them in, they stood just inside for a few long moments, with Dobby still hanging on to Harry's leg.  
  
"I don't feel much like sleeping," Ron whispered.  
  
"Me either."  
  
"The sofa?"  
  
"All right."  
  
They settled in, staring at the fire that burned twenty-four hours a day in the common room. Dobby lost himself in it, swaying back forth with the flames.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just don't understand. There was no reason for Winky to die."  
  
"No," Harry agreed. "There never is with Voldemort."  
  
"You think it's him?"  
  
"Who else could it logically be? I just wish."  
  
Ron nodded in agreement with Harry's unspoken statement.  
  
"Dobby will take care of Harry Potter. Harry Potter will come to no harm."  
  
The two boys looked at each other.  
  
"Dobby, I don't really need anyone looking after me," Harry objected. "I'll be fine, and I'll be careful."  
  
Dobby shook his head. "Dobby has given his word. Harry Potter will come to no harm."  
  
Ron opened his mouth, and then shut it at the look Harry shot him.  
  
"Look, Dobby, last time you tried to save my life, you got in the way."  
  
"Not this time. Dobby is taking care of Harry Potter."  
  
Tears swam in the house-elf's eyes, and Harry could feel all his objections crumbling.  
  
"As long as you promise to take care of Ginny, too."  
  
Dobby nodded. "Dobby will be taking care of your Ginny Wheezy too."  
  
Harry nearly sighed in relief. At least he wouldn't be the center of the distressed elf's attentions.  
  
"Dobby, don't you think you'd best be going to bed?"  
  
Dobby shook his head mournfully. "Dobby misses Winky!"  
  
The howl was long and painful, filled with despair, and it made Ron's heart tremble. If he ever lost Hermione, he suspected that this would only be a fraction of what he felt.  
  
"Dobby, look, you've got to get some rest," Ron tried futilely. "You won't do Winky any good if you haven't slept."  
  
Harry scanned his eyes over Dobby's body, which was still shaking. "Dobby, why don't you try to sleep here by the fire. It might be safer for you, and for us. We're going to stay with you for a while, okay?"  
  
"Dobby will be taking care of Harry Potter," the tired house-elf insisted.  
  
"We know," Ron said gently. "Go on. Sleep now."  
  
"No harm will come to Harry Potter," Dobby said and let out one last yawn before his eyes closed and his body gave up. 


	25. I Wanna Hold Your Hand

For Kelly Jo, who wanted a chapter dedicated to her. For all the memories,  
good and bad, and the ones we'll have in the future.  
  
Chapter Twenty-Four: I Wanna Hold Your Hand  
  
Remus and Anna sat together in Remus's private quarters, each one sipping a glass of wine. Remus's hands were shaking, and Anna's eyes were closed.  
  
"Damn," she muttered. "I thought, well, I thought maybe we would have more time with Harry and Ginny before things got bad."  
  
"It's odd," Remus mused, "that Voldemort would go after that particular house-elf."  
  
"Well, we know that she used Butterbeer quite a lot. Perhaps she was easier to control."  
  
Remus shook his head. "Still."  
  
"I know. Remember the first time he started to takeover?"  
  
Remus closed his eyes and swallowed. "I don't want the kids to have to go through what we went through."  
  
"I don't either, but it looks like there's nothing we can do for the present."  
  
Remus nodded. "Anna, I was thinking."  
  
"Always a dangerous enterprise. What were you thinking?"  
  
Remus smiled. It felt good to do so. "How about we get married over the holidays?"  
  
"What? Which holidays?"  
  
"Christmas holidays."  
  
"Remus. We simply don't have enough time, and security, and the flowers, and the guests, there's just so much to do that I don't."  
  
"Anna." Remus's voice was, as usual, soothing, and effectively cut off her rambling. "Who do you really want there, besides Sirius and Harry?"  
  
Anna chewed on her lip. "Well, there are some people that I would like to see again."  
  
"But who do you really, truly, need to have at our wedding?"  
  
"You, Sirius, and Harry."  
  
Remus chuckled a little, knowing that he had won. "Why don't we ask Dumbledore if we can't borrow Harry for the holidays, and we'll get married quietly without any fuss?"  
  
"What about Harry's safety? We don't want Voldemort attacking our wedding."  
  
"We won't tell anyone that we're getting married, and no one will ever know where Harry is. The story we'll send around is that he's gone to The Burrow for the holidays. Voldemort wouldn't dare attack there with the wards that Dumbledore has set up for Harry's summer visits."  
  
Anna nodded. "We can do that. How about we use your parents' old lodge? We could get married in the garden. I always loved the way it smelled."  
  
Remus smiled. "Sounds good to me. I'll owl the caretaker and tell him that we're coming."  
  
There was a silence.  
  
"Remus, we're really getting married this time."  
  
"The thought had occurred to me, believe it or not."  
  
The two burst into laughter.  
  
"Did we really think about that the first time?" Anna asked, seriously.  
  
"I don't know. All I knew was that I wanted you forever, and that was the way to ensure it."  
  
As Remus mulled over that for a while, Anna allowed herself to drift back into memories. "Remember James and Lily's wedding?"  
  
"Yes, I do. I remember the beginning of the bachelor party. We got James so pissed he couldn't walk at all." Remus sighed.  
  
"As I recall, none of you could walk at all after you were finished. Lily and I had to practically carry you and James up the stairs to your room."  
  
"That's why I said I remembered the beginning of it."  
  
Anna chuckled. "I miss them."  
  
"Hmm."  
  
"It's a shame they won't be able to see Harry grow up and get married himself."  
  
"Oh, I think they'll be able to see it, it's just that they would have loved to be there."  
  
Anna nodded in agreement. "Instead he got those awful Dursleys."  
  
"Life isn't very often fair."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"I just did."  
  
"Okay, smart aleck. I'm going to have to punish you."  
  
Remus lifted his eyebrows. "How is that?"  
  
"I'm simply going to have to kiss you until you can't breathe. Now, there's no use arguing about it. The punishment has to fit the crime."  
  
"Yes, Professor."  
  
Anna bit her lip, considering. "You seem entirely to eager for the punishment, Mr. Lupin. Is there something you would like to tell the court?"  
  
"I would like to state, in my own defense, that being kissed by a beautiful woman is hardly considered a punishment."  
  
Tilting her head to the side, Anna took a moment. "Well, I guess the court will have to withdraw its earlier sentence."  
  
"That isn't necessary. The defendant has no objection to the earlier suggestion."  
  
"Well, then."  
  
The two kissed deeply and tenderly, until Remus truly couldn't breathe.  
  
Suddenly, Anna stood up. "Let's go talk to Dumbledore. There's too much to get done, and not enough time."  
  
Remus smiled, bemused. "Here we go."  
  
**  
  
"Harry, what's going on?"  
  
Harry looked up from his Potions essay to find Ginny Weasley staring him straight in the face.  
  
"I'm writing my Potions essay."  
  
"No, that's not what I'm talking about. Please don't make this difficult."  
  
"Okay, I'll try not to, but I don't understand what you're asking me."  
  
"I'm talking about you and me."  
  
Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Everyone seems to be."  
  
Ginny let out an exasperated sigh and sat down next to him at the table that he was sitting at in the common room.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Your brother and Hermione."  
  
"Sweet Merlin."  
  
Harry shrugged. "I thought it was kind of funny. They already act like a married couple. Basically, Hermione told Ron to deal with it."  
  
"That's just the thing, Harry. Deal with what?"  
  
"I don't know what. I'm not sure I want a relationship with Voldemort targeting everyone that I'm remotely connected to."  
  
"Are you talking about Winky?"  
  
His silence told her everything.  
  
"Listen, that wasn't your fault."  
  
"It wasn't?" Harry's voice was dangerously quiet, which was worse than if he had screamed at her.  
  
"No, it wasn't," Ginny said, defiantly. Harry Potter didn't scare her. Besides, she'd waited long enough to have this conversation with him. Maybe it would pull him out of this funk he seemed to be in.  
  
"Voldemort was most likely using her to try to kill me, and she didn't follow through and he killed her. You see, if she hadn't known me."  
  
"Oh, for Merlin's sake! You know what, if you're determined to pile everyone else's personal decisions on your shoulders, fine. From this moment on, I don't care."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that it's not your fault. Did you catch that?" Her voice was rising in pitch and volume. "Not your fault. Nope. Not even the tiniest bit Harry Potter's fault. There wasn't anything you could have done. Nothing. I'm sorry if that hurts your ego in a twisted way, or something, but that's just not the way the world works."  
  
Most of the Gryffindor common room was staring at them now, and Ginny blushed becomingly, and lowered her voice.  
  
"You see, Harry, we have this thing called personal choice, and Winky made her own decision. In fact, she may not have even been thinking about you when she did."  
  
Harry worked his mouth around, trying to find words, but that was unnecessary, as it didn't seem like Ginny was going to let him speech anyway.  
  
"Every time something happens, I watch you beat yourself up over it, and it hurts, Harry, to see you see you in pain like that. Some people might think it's an act, but I know that you're really doing this to yourself. It's one thing to grieve, but Harry, all these people are dead, and you are alive. So live. I know that sounds cruel, but somebody had to say it."  
  
She spun on her heel and began to walk towards her dorm, leaving Harry speechless. Then he had an idea.  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come for a walk with me?" He held out his hand for her to take.  
  
"All right."  
  
They headed out of the common room hand in hand and waved good-bye to the Fat Lady.  
  
"Now, would you look at that," the old portrait muttered to herself. "Well, it's about time."  
  
They walked in silence for a time, six inches apart, each carefully breathing so as to make the least amount of noise. Both of their brains were whirling fast in a confused jumble so that neither one was entirely sure about what they were thinking or feeling.  
  
"Harry, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."  
  
Harry smiled. "No, actually, you should have. You know, you're the only other person in the world besides Ron and Hermione who would do that to me?"  
  
Ginny blushed. "I'm not sure that's a compliment, but all right."  
  
"That's a good thing. It shows you think of me as just Harry. I rather like that."  
  
"So all I had to do was lose my temper and scream at you for you to hold my hand?"  
  
Harry chuckled. "I guess, if you want to put it that way."  
  
"Well, then. I wonder what took me so long."  
  
"Ginny, I think we should talk."  
  
"Me too. I've just been so confused since you, well, you know, in the Ivy Room."  
  
Harry's smile turned mischievous. "No, I don't know."  
  
Ginny looked shocked, then saw his grin. "Since you kissed me."  
  
"Me too."  
  
They looked at each other and collapsed into laughter.  
  
"You mean to tell me that we've been walking around wondering and worrying about the same thing for a month and half?" Ginny gasped.  
  
"I guess so. Ginny, listen, I'd really like it if you would, um, be my girlfriend."  
  
Ginny's eyes widened, but she decided to pay him back. "I don't know. I can't remember if you were a good kisser. I don't want to date anyone who isn't a good kisser."  
  
Harry was speechless for a moment, and then went along with the game. "Well, then. Allow me to demonstrate."  
  
With a swift movement, he tilted her head back and pressed his lips against hers. Ginny was fairly sure that she heard bells, or singing, and that her hair was standing on end.  
  
When they finally broke apart, Ginny grinned. "That was. nice."  
  
"Nice? I don't even want to know about what you think is good."  
  
"Well, to be honest with you, that was more than nice. That was amazing."  
  
"I thought so, too. So, will you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Be my girlfriend."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Harry's smile was so wide it hurt. He bent down and kissed her again.  
  
"You're kind of short."  
  
Ginny laughed out loud. "Yes I am."  
  
"That's okay. Short is good."  
  
"I'm glad you think so."  
  
They broke away for a minute and stood facing each other.  
  
"Well, this is different," Ginny mumbled. "Harry's girlfriend. I like that."  
  
"Ginny's boyfriend," Harry mused aloud with a an amused smile.  
  
"I think we should tell Ron and Hermione."  
  
"Now?"  
  
"At supper tonight."  
  
"All right."  
  
They walked off down the corridor, hand in hand.  
  
**  
  
Later, at supper, Harry tore open the envelope Hedwig had given him.  
  
Mr. Harry Potter,  
  
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Ms. Anna Black and Mr. Remus Lupin, during Christmas holidays. Your lodging, food and other necessities for the entire break will be taken care of. Do not mention this to anyone. Please RSVP by Monday during Divination. We crave your presence.  
  
Sincerely, Anna Black and Remus Lupin  
  
"Well, I'll be." Harry muttered.  
  
"What is it, Harry?" Ron asked, his mouth full of potatoes.  
  
"Nothing," he said, turning the paper over and over in his hand, then stuck it in his pocket.  
  
"You know," Hermione said, "it's about time you two made it official."  
  
"What?" Ron was shocked.  
  
"They've decided to become boyfriend and girlfriend. Isn't that marvelous?"  
  
Ron winced at the kick he received under the table. "Wonderful."  
  
**  
  
Thanks to all of my reviewers and readers! 6 more chapters to go!  
  
If you want to learn more about TIF or have more contact with me, Chi, join my Yahoo! Group, located here: Tested In Fire Fans  
  
A special thanks to Anne, and to Aihbinn, who I've been in contact with for the past few weeks, for keeping me motivated. 


	26. December Dreams

This was going to be the chapter where Remus and Anna finally tied the knot. Sadly, it didn't work out that way. You'll have to hang on for one  
more chapter! By the way, this chapter is dedicated the dreamers that I  
know.  
  
Chapter 25: December Dreams  
  
December approached much more rapidly than anyone would have liked. There didn't seem to be enough time for Remus and Anna to finalize their weeding plans, and the teachers piled on more homework for the students to get done. Even Hermione was feeling the pressure.  
  
"Oh drat!"  
  
Ron raised his eyebrows at Hermione's use of strong (for her) language. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's just this Arthimancy essay, and I'm working on that spell, and I'm afraid that my brain doesn't work anymore."  
  
Ron threw back his head and laughed. "I think your brain still works, Hermione." He dropped a kiss on top of her head. "When it doesn't, the world will be in sad shape."  
  
Hermione smiled, pulled him down so that she could whisper in his ear. "I know a certain person who revels in getting me to not think."  
  
"Ah, but that's different than your brain not working. It still does when I do those things, it's just temporarily bogged down."  
  
She giggled, feeling some of the pressure leave her already. Ron could do that for her.  
  
"I will get it right," she muttered, and sighed in pleasure when Ron began to knead her shoulders.  
  
"What's so horrible about it?"  
  
"It just doesn't follow logic, Ron. I've tried different combinations, and nothing works, and oh, it's driving me crazy!"  
  
"Hermione, how would you like to come to The Burrow for Christmas?"  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
Ron sighed, sat down carefully so as not to agitate his leg. "Bill and Charlie are going to be there, and Perce will be taking the day off of the Ministry for a change. The fact is, the only ones who have seen me with this bloody."  
  
"Ron!"  
  
".Leg will be you, Ginny, Mum and Dad. Hermione, I'd really like to have you there."  
  
She thought about it for a moment. "I'll owl Mum and Dad and see."  
  
Ron grinned. "Do you really want to come?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"I thought that this letter I sent off to your parents would be part of your Christmas gift. It says here that you can come with me for the first week and a half of break, through Christmas Eve, then we'll join your parents for Christmas Day and we'll ring in the New Year at a party at The Burrow."  
  
Harry and Ginny tramped through the common room door, cheeks rosy and hair tousled, with snowflakes decorating their cloaks.  
  
Harry took both of their cloaks and shook them firmly before the fire, then ran a hand through his hair. Ginny watched in amusement.  
  
"Where have you been?" Ron asked casually, when they both seemed to be settled. Hermione shot him a look. He nearly shuddered, but managed to hold back.  
  
"We were out by the lake, if you must know," Harry gasped, recovering.  
  
"We were having a snowball fight," Ginny managed.  
  
"She won," Harry filled them in, "but only because she cheats."  
  
"Do not!"  
  
Harry merely shrugged. "Whatever you want to believe."  
  
Ron grinned. "I've lived with her for a number of years, Harry, and I will tell you this. She most certainly does to cheat, but only because she had to."  
  
"See," Ginny started, and then realized that Ron wasn't being exactly complimentary. "Well, with a set of brothers like Fred and George, what do you expect?"  
  
"A strong survival instinct," Hermione said, agreeing.  
  
"Everything all ready to go for your trip to The Burrow?" Ron asked Harry, his eyes mischievous.  
  
"I've cleared everything with Dumbledore. We should be good to go. I won't be able to ride the train with everyone, but I'll see you there."  
  
"Good," Ron announced, his face glowing with anticipation. "Maybe you can help us work out who Fred and George's mysterious investor is. We've been trying to get it right for a year now, and no one has been able to guess. I wonder what they've come up with now?" His voice trailed off as he imagined all sorts of fantastic things. "Wouldn't it be great if they could come up with something that would turn Malfoy into a ferret forever?"  
  
Hermione shook her head. "Most certainly not."  
  
Ginny giggled. "Just imagine the debacle if the wrong person got a hold of it, though. Everyone who made them mad would be ferrets."  
  
"Fred and George are probably the wrong people to have that sort of power," Harry agreed, "though I'm quite sure they wouldn't turn anyone into a ferret that didn't deserve it."  
  
Ginny's eyes danced. "But it is nice, just to think of it. Malfoy as a ferret."  
  
Hermione laughed. "That's Ron's fondest memory."  
  
"Mine, as well," Harry said, and the two boys exchanged a nostalgic glance.  
  
"Oh for heaven's sake," the two girls chorused, and then all four collapsed into laughter.  
  
Ron turned to Ginny. "Hermione will be spending part of Christmas vacation with us, and then we'll spend the rest at her parents' house."  
  
Ginny clapped her hands excitedly. "You can share my room again, Hermione."  
  
Harry grinned, and was about to comment that he was going to be sad that he was going to miss it, but then realized he couldn't. Ron, Hermione and Ginny already knew about his plans, of course, but part of his safety was that he couldn't say anything about the wedding in public.  
  
In all honesty, he didn't know quite what he was going to do. He'd never been to a Muggle wedding, much less a wizard-style one, and he wasn't sure what was required. Purchasing a gift had been easy. On the pretext of buying a gift for his godmother, he'd spent a few hours with Ginny searching for something in the owl-order catalogue that she had lying around.  
  
For one fleeting moment, he wished Ginny could join him for the weekend, but then he thought of Sirius. He wasn't sure how his godfather and girlfriend felt about each other, especially now that Ginny had become something a bit more. official.  
  
Not that their relationship was public knowledge, either. Harry hated the fact that everything had to be secret, but it seemed the only way to make sure that everyone stayed alive.  
  
Harry smiled a bit. He really was looking forward to the holiday, as Dobby had promised to leave him and his godfather alone to have some time together. Harry just hoped the house-elf didn't become suddenly nervous and turn up at The Burrow, only to discover that Harry was not there.  
  
"Harry, are you all right? We lost you there for a minute." Ginny laid a hand on his shoulder, and stood on tiptoe to see up into his eyes.  
  
"I was just thinking."  
  
It was kind of funny, he thought, to see Ginny like this, straining to see up into his eyes, but sometimes it felt like she could see right through to his soul. If he weren't in a room full of people, one of them being her brother, he probably would have taken advantage of her upturned lips, which were looking very kissable at the moment.  
  
"So Harry, what'd you get me for Christmas?" Ginny asked, noting his glazed eyes.  
  
"A. No, you're not getting that out of me," Harry snapped, finally coming back to the land of the living. "Nice try, though."  
  
"Well, it was worth a try."  
  
"Ouch! What did you do that for, Hermione?"  
  
"You were turning red. I was concerned for your health."  
  
Ginny snorted. "I'm sure you were, Hermione."  
  
Harry discreetly reached for Ginny's hand, grasped it firmly. "Sounds like this holiday is going to be lots of fun."  
  
Ginny massaged his hand in hers, and grinned. "It will be."  
  
**  
  
"This wedding is going to be a disaster!" Anna threw down the robes she was working on. She couldn't purchase her own, because that might clue the Death Eaters in. It was lucky for her that she liked to sew under normal conditions.  
  
"My dear, I'm sure it won't be that bad."  
  
Anna looked up, and blinked her eyes.  
  
"I'm losing my mind. I really and truly am."  
  
"No, you're having a vision. Which is, as you once informed me, what Seers do."  
  
"No, Seers spew off prophecies, they don't receive visits from dead people."  
  
"What, you're not happy to see me?"  
  
"I'm happy, ecstatic, really, it's just another sign that my sanity has left me completely. I told Remus we didn't have enough time. Didn't I?"  
  
"Yes, you did, and I'm sure it will be fine."  
  
"Am I asleep?"  
  
"Yes. Staying up until all hours of the night sewing is not going to help your body's clock. You know that, right?"  
  
"You used to say that to me as you were leaving to snog James, only then it was reading, or whatever else I happened to be into."  
  
"I always said you did lovely work with embroidery."  
  
"Lily, what am I going to do?"  
  
"Well, the first thing is to stop panicking over every small detail. Everything will be fine. The second thing is to take a deep breath. You're turning a rather alarming shade of purple."  
  
"Right. One deep breath coming right up. You know, that makes me feel a lot better."  
  
"It should."  
  
"Well, it's not every day your dead best friend turns up to give you a pre- nuptial pep talk."  
  
Lily threw back her head and laughed. The sound of it rang like bells off the walls of Anna's private quarters. "That is true. But I remember you doing the same thing for me."  
  
"That was slightly different. I wasn't dead."  
  
"Also true. Anna, we have to talk."  
  
"Obviously, or you wouldn't be down here. You never come see me for small talk. As a matter of fact, this is the first vision I've had of you."  
  
Lily smiled sadly. "This is the first time you've been really open to me, Anna."  
  
Anna sighed. "Let's get down to business. I'm sure you don't have much time."  
  
"That's true, I don't. I have only until you wake up."  
  
Anna smiled ruefully. "Isn't that always the case? I just would like to say that it was damned inconsiderate of you and James to die."  
  
"Yes, well, we thought it was rather inconvenient ourselves."  
  
As always, Lily's dry humor made Anna laugh.  
  
"Seriously, Anna, you and Remus have something beautiful going on here. James and I are extremely proud and happy."  
  
"You would be," Anna muttered.  
  
"Was that a sarcastic comment, Miss Black?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The two shared a giggle, until Lily turned serious again.  
  
"I wish I could help you with that," she said, gesturing towards the pile of material in Anna's hand.  
  
"No you don't. You hated sewing."  
  
"It's the experience that counts. Well, what I came here to say is that you two had better not screw this up."  
  
"Excuse me? Thanks for your support, Lils."  
  
"I'm pulling for you, Anna. You and Remus always had something special. You're the only one who can get him through these next few transformations. He's becoming more and more resistant to the Wolfsbane potion."  
  
"I know." Anna sat down on a sofa, patted it so that Lily could sit next to her. "What do I do?"  
  
"Love him. That's all you can do. Hang on until something better comes along, or until you two have time to work it out." Lily tucked a piece of her ghostly red hair behind her ear.  
  
"Did you and James ever. what I mean to say is." Anna blushed furiously. "I think I'm going to be horrible at this marriage thing."  
  
Lily laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Listen, James and I have been married for, well, let's think, seventeen, no, eighteen years. Let me tell you, you're going to be fine."  
  
"That's what you think," Anna muttered.  
  
"That's what I know."  
  
"Sometimes I want to back out of it, the whole thing, just for a moment, and he'll look at me and I go tingly warm from head to toe."  
  
"Anna. I don't have much time. If you love each other, truly love each other, nothing can go horribly wrong."  
  
Tears started to leak out of Anna's eyes, though she fought to keep them back. "Oh, I don't want to cry, but I've missed you horribly."  
  
Silvery liquid fell from Lily's eyes, and she pulled Anna in for a not- quite hug. "Have many happy years, sister."  
  
"Stay a little while. I've taken so many pictures of Harry."  
  
Lily shook her head. "Anna, please don't make this hard."  
  
"Okay, I'll smile and be brave. Someday, though, come back when you and I can have a good sit-down talk about everything. Your son, and that girl of his, and life in general, and what you and James have been plotting, and when Sirius is ever going to meet someone who deserves him. We'll talk about everything, except this bloody war."  
  
Lily grinned. "It's a deal. Though I imagine it will have to be later rather than sooner."  
  
"As long as I know I get to see you again."  
  
"We're kindred spirits, dear. Of course we'll meet again. By the way, I've met that Ginny Weasley of Harry's."  
  
Anna's eyebrows lifted. "Oh? What's the verdict?"  
  
"She's good for him."  
  
They stood then in one motion.  
  
"Good-bye, Anna Lupin. You see, I'm the first to call you that."  
  
"Good-bye, Lily Potter. I was the first to call you that."  
  
With that, Lily was gone, and Anna awoke. Remus was gently shaking her shoulder.  
  
"Are you ready to go?"  
  
For the second time that day, Anna blinked to clear the sleep from her eyes.  
  
"I will be in a minute."  
  
Remus's sharp eyes caught the tear on Anna's cheek.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I dreamed about Lily. I asked her to stay. She said that she couldn't."  
  
Remus smiled in sympathy. "We both know there's no spell that can bring them back to us. Much as we would love that."  
  
"She also said I should love you forever. I told her that I was planning on it."  
  
Remus blushed. "That makes two of us dedicated to making sure there's an us in the future."  
  
"Did you check to see if Harry was ready?"  
  
"Yes, he's waiting for us in my office. Sirius will be joining us later on this evening. He has an appointment with Dumbledore."  
  
"Let's go get married."  
  
"All right. Let's."  
  
**  
  
Tested In Fire Fans - Your personal link with me! All reviews are answered, and everything is discussed that is relevant to TIF. If you're truly a fan, or just an enthusiastic reader, come and join us! 


	27. Finally!

Dedicated to Maria, the original Remus/Anna fan, who desperately wanted  
this to happen. Thanks to her, you have this chapter quickly and with a  
great deal of fluff to top it off.  
  
Chapter 26: Finally!  
  
Sirius fidgeted with the collar of his new dress robes. He had never expected to be the one to give away his sister, and he was really starting to feel the pressure.  
  
Harry looked up from his Quidditch Quality Magazine and struggled to hide his laughter.  
  
"Nervous?"  
  
"I'm not nervous," Sirius muttered. "I just don't like dress robes, that's all. They always make me feel like a pig."  
  
Harry couldn't hold it back any longer. "Would it help any if I told you that you looked like one?"  
  
Sirius glared, and then relaxed when he saw that Harry was kidding. "Well, the ladies like it, and I'm all about pleasing the ladies."  
  
"Yeah, right," Harry snorted.  
  
"You don't believe me? Oh, the stories I could tell. James and Remus and I, we were all handsome young men at one time."  
  
"I'm sure you were. At one time."  
  
Sirius chose to ignore him. "We'd go around breaking hearts. That was before we all buckled down to our respective girlfriends, you know. Two out of the three of us tied the knot with their Hogwarts sweethearts. You don't get much more romantic than that."  
  
Harry raised his eyebrows, glanced over Sirius more carefully. "You look terrible."  
  
"Thanks, mate."  
  
"No, I'm serious," Harry grinned at the inadvertent pun. "Sorry. Have you been sleeping well?"  
  
"That's my question. No fair switching roles without notifying me first."  
  
The two laughed, and then Harry's face grew serious. He forced himself to say something he'd been feeling, but never had the courage to say out loud. "Sirius, you're all I've got left now, okay? Take care of yourself."  
  
"I'm trying. You know, I asked Elizabeth to wait for me."  
  
Harry looked up, his eyes clear. "Your girlfriend? The one who died?"  
  
"That's right. Do you know what she did?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, I don't, as I was never there."  
  
Sirius continued as though Harry had never opened his mouth. "She ran off with some bloody reporter from The Daily Prophet. Can you imagine that?"  
  
Harry said nothing, just stared at his folded hands.  
  
"I can, if you can't. I've got nothing to offer anyone, and. Oh, for Merlin's sake! You're sixteen bloody years old!"  
  
Harry raised his face, and his eyes were a mixture of pain and mirth. "I think I understand, Sirius."  
  
"You would," Sirius mumbled. "You Potters always understand."  
  
Harry smirked. "What can I say? It's good genes."  
  
"My sister is getting married."  
  
"Yes, she is. In about ten minutes."  
  
"I suppose you're suggesting I pull myself together?"  
  
"It wouldn't hurt. Go see her. I'm sure she needs you to reassure her nothing awful is going to happen. Remember to tell her how beautiful she looks. Ginny really stressed that. Apparently it's important."  
  
Sirius chuckled. "You're already licked, young man. Already licked."  
  
"I can't possibly be. We've only been dating a month."  
  
"Believe what you want to believe. Listen, I'll go take care of Anna, you take care of Remus. All right?"  
  
"All right. But I don't really know what to say to someone who's getting married."  
  
"Well, there isn't exactly a handbook, you know."  
  
"There should be," Harry mumbled.  
  
"Oh, I agree."  
  
Then they both took off in their separate directions.  
  
**  
  
The wedding was being held at Lupin Lodge, the Lupin family home, which featured an extensive garden in the back. A magical dome kept it beautiful year-round, and Anna thought it was simply one of the most beautiful places in the world.  
  
Harry and Sirius were staying in one of the guest rooms at the Lodge, which Remus had just inherited from his parents, and so were Anna and Remus. At least, they were until the honeymoon. Then Harry and Sirius would be alone in the house until the holiday was over.  
  
Anna was worrying about that, and a great many other things, when her brother walked in.  
  
"Anna! You look gorgeous!"  
  
Turning around swiftly, she was caught up in her brother's arms.  
  
"Oh, Sirius, you've got to stop me from crying."  
  
"Why would you be crying?"  
  
"Because I'm terribly happy, but I'm just so worried that something is going to go wrong to spoil it all."  
  
"That's nonsense. The universe isn't out to get you."  
  
"No, but Voldemort is."  
  
"Need I remind you that Voldemort doesn't know about this party? There's no way he can crash it."  
  
"What about spies, and rumors, and Sirius, what if they get through the security and."  
  
"Ssssh. It will be fine."  
  
Anna blinked. Lily had just said that to her a few hours ago.  
  
"The moon's rising," she whispered, and pointed at the silver that had decided to make its appearance that night. "You know, I can never decide whether to despise it, or the disease that tears Remus apart so."  
  
"I think it's healthy to hate both," Sirius said with a grin.  
  
"Sirius, I love Remus."  
  
"I hope so. You're marrying the poor bloke. Don't start crying on me."  
  
"I can't help it. I love you so much. Have I told you lately how wonderful it is to have you back again?"  
  
"No. It's always nice to hear it."  
  
"Consider it said. Now, tell me what you think."  
  
"I think the rising rate of Butterbeer is a very serious concern."  
  
"Sirius! Be. never mind. Tell me what you think of my robes. I made them myself."  
  
Sirius made a motion with his finger, and obligingly, she twirled around for him to get a better look.  
  
They were white, and clingy, but they made his sister look like a goddess.  
  
"You don't look much like my little sister any more."  
  
"That change occurred quite a few years back, actually."  
  
"No. You glow now. You didn't used to glow."  
  
"I think it's this whole being in love thing."  
  
"That could be it."  
  
Then the two, brother and sister, smiled at each other.  
  
"Do you know what this means, Anna?"  
  
"What does it mean, Sirius?"  
  
"It means I'm going to be related to Remus. He'll be my brother-in-law. My certified brother."  
  
Anna laughed. "I guess it does mean that. The poor dear."  
  
"Did you tell him about crazy Aunt Ida? We don't want him scared off, you know, but it's only fair to tell him about any genetic defaults that we may be carrying around."  
  
"Aunt Ida was related to us by marriage."  
  
"Hereditary diseases are infectious."  
  
"It wasn't a disease, she wasn't crazy, and her only problem was acne."  
  
"Into her sixties!"  
  
Anna hooted. "Thank you, Sirius."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For making me laugh."  
  
"Well, sister, let's go get you married."  
  
**  
  
The officiator of the ceremony was an old friend of the now deceased Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, and he looked as if he might be a thousand years old. He spoke to Remus in a dry, monotone voice, and then waved his wand for the entrance of the bride.  
  
Wizarding weddings were different than the Muggle weddings Harry had seen on the television set. For one thing, they all stood in a circle, wands held at the side. It was a small wedding, so every person present at the wedding could stand in the circle. At larger weddings, Harry was told, only the family members and very close friends would be allowed to join.  
  
One thing that was similar to the Muggle tradition was the entrance of the bride. It wasn't necessarily a procession, as she had no attendants. Sirius linked his arm with hers and presented her to Remus with a smile on his face.  
  
"Today," Mr. Drusedel, the officiator, said, "we are celebrating the joining to of two people who are very dear to our hearts, Anna Black, and Remus Lupin. Their love was begun in school, and now becomes more sacred than any other union they may have entered previously. This is not, however, the climax of their lives. There is more time for them to enjoy each other. Instead, Anna and Remus, think of this as a new beginning."  
  
Harry choked back a laugh as Sirius crossed his eyes at him from across the circle.  
  
"As is tradition, we will exchange rings now."  
  
Sirius wiggled his ears. Harry snorted.  
  
"Do you have the rings, Mr. Black?"  
  
"What? Excuse me?"  
  
"The rings, please."  
  
A look of confusion passed over Sirius's face, and he patted the pockets of his dress robes. "I know they're in here somewhere," he mumbled.  
  
"I have them," Harry said, and handed them to Mr. Drusedel.  
  
Sirius narrowed his eyes. Harry shrugged.  
  
"Place the ring on Remus's finger, Anna, and answer a few questions. Anna Black, do you accept Remus Lupin as your lawful wedded husband?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Are you fully aware of the health status of Mr. Lupin and the profession which he has chosen?"  
  
"I am."  
  
"Remus, place the ring on Anna's finger and answer a few questions. Remus Lupin, do you accept Anna Black as your lawful wedded wife?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Are you fully aware of the health status of Ms. Black and the profession which she has chosen?"  
  
"I am."  
  
Mr. Drusedel smiled. "Does anyone here have any objection to the full magical bonding of these two people in holy matrimony?"  
  
Harry and Sirius shook their heads.  
  
"Touch your wands at the tips and repeat after me. I, Anna Black."  
  
"I, Anna Black."  
  
"Do solemnly swear to love and honor you all the days of my life."  
  
"Do solemnly swear to love and honor you all the days of my life."  
  
"In sickness and health."  
  
"In sickness and health."  
  
"For better or worse."  
  
"For better or worse."  
  
"Until death do us part."  
  
"Until death do us part."  
  
Anna and Remus beamed at each other, and tears filled Anna's eyes and Remus repeated the same thing.  
  
"Fate has brought you together, love has bonded you, and magic will seal the bond. You both are fully aware of the spell I'm about to cast?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Since the beginning of time as we know it, witches and wizards have bonded together in this way. In light of your love, faithfulness and respect to and for each other, I have agreed to cast the spell.  
  
"I have known Remus all my life, and recall Anna from the first time Remus brought her home to meet his parents. I have been qualified by the Ministry of Magic and the couple present here to cast the spell. Extend your hands towards each other and join them."  
  
Anna and Remus both felt the familiar tingle as they gripped each other's hand.  
  
"Semper Fidelis." A green glow came from Mr. Drusedel's wand, casting shadows, and blinding Harry and Sirius for a moment.  
  
Harry had been told that this spell bonded two people's auras so that their magical energies were tied together. He guessed that it worked, because all Remus and Anna could see was each other. Tears flowed from Anna's eyes, and Remus beamed.  
  
Sirius tried to subtly wipe the moisture from his eyes, but Harry didn't see him, because he was trying to do the same.  
  
"By the power vested in me by the Ministry of Magic, I pronounce you husband and wife. Go forth and be happy, for heaven's sake."  
  
Remus and Anna waited.  
  
"Well, I assumed you knew what was going to happen next. You can kiss her."  
  
Harry was frankly surprised to hear any sort of emotion coming out of the monotonous old man. Remus and Anna, however, didn't hear him. They were clinging to each other happily.  
  
"Come on, you two. Let's go get fall-down drunk," Sirius suggested merrily.  
  
"We can't with Harry here," Anna said. "Besides, I'm not entirely sure I want Remus to be fall-down drunk on our wedding night."  
  
"No, I don't suppose you do," Sirius conceded mournfully.  
  
"I meant what I said, you know. Be happy," Mr. Drusedel said forcefully. "I've got to go, but the wife sends her regards and wishes you well."  
  
Harry grinned. "Congratulations, you two."  
  
"You're staying with us this summer," Anna informed him. "None of this Dursley nonsense. We want to have you around, if Dumbledore will approve it."  
  
Harry's smile faded just a bit. "We'll see what Voldemort's up to."  
  
Sirius shook his head. "We're not talking about this tonight. This is a celebration. We can worry about him afterwards."  
  
"You're right," Anna said. "Let's go. I've made dinner, then Remus and I will take off."  
  
"Why stay for dinner at all?" Sirius wanted to know.  
  
"Because it's polite, Sirius," Remus said patiently.  
  
Sirius snorted. "I don't think I'd stick around long on my wedding night, old chum."  
  
"Who said anything about staying long?"  
  
As they entered the Lodge, Anna began to issue orders.  
  
"All right, you two. Harry, will you grab the plates, dear? They're in the second cabinet on the right."  
  
The dinner was nice, Harry would later remember, but what was even better was the feeling of family that was coursing through his system. He felt loved, and wanted.  
  
Remus and Anna left shortly after they had eaten their fill, and left the dishes to Harry and Sirius.  
  
"We'll see you all when you get back from the honeymoon," Sirius said, kissing Anna's cheeks and shaking Remus's hand.  
  
"Thanks for inviting me," Harry muttered, suddenly feeling shy.  
  
"Well, of course we wanted you here," Anna laughed, then saw the shocked look on Harry's face. Not for the first time, she felt an urge to punch the Dursleys. "I meant what I said about summer holiday."  
  
"All right," Harry said with a grin.  
  
"Good-bye!" Anna called.  
  
"Don't mess up the house, Sirius! Be careful, don't do anything stupid!" Remus was still issuing orders as they Apparated away.  
  
Suddenly, Harry and Sirius were very alone, but they didn't stay that way for long.  
  
Hedwig knocked on the window, and Sirius went over and opened it for her. There was a letter from Dumbledore attached to it.  
  
Harry and Sirius,  
  
There's been an attack at The Burrow. No casualties, except for the family owl, whose heart gave out from the shock. The family was away.  
  
DO NOT return to the school at this time, as that would alert the Death Eaters to your true location. I'm taking a risk in even contacting you, so follow the original plan. Give my best to Anna and Remus.  
  
Professor Dumbledore  
  
** Like I said, this is for one particular Remus and Anna fan, but I really need to thank all of you R/A shippers out there. You make my day, and you were the ones that pushed to make this happen!  
  
Tested In Fire Fans 


	28. Mr Gruthersford

This is for those who would not accept voices from heaven and objects falling out of the sky. I was going to leave you hanging, but I was feeling  
nice. Here's your explanation.  
  
Chapter 27: Mr. Gruthersford  
  
Professor Dumbledore walked wearily from the Great Hall Christmas feast to his office. The meal had been satisfying enough, but he simply hadn't had the energy to concentrate on enjoying the delights the elves had cooked up. The spell he'd cast to transfer his powers to his student of choice was working, he knew. Nothing else could tire him so.  
  
The gargoyle obligingly opened the passage to the room he considered more his home than the private quarters that he had at the school without giving Dumbledore giving him the password. It was set to automatically open when the gargoyle sensed Dumbledore's aura.  
  
He sighed at the mountains of packages that friends sent to him. They would be, no doubt, filled to the brink with books or notes. If he weren't so tired, he would look forward to opening them. His face lit, however, when his eyes fell upon the Christmas fudge that Mrs. Weasley sent him annually.  
  
Grabbing the package, he made a start towards his desk when he saw a figure sitting in the seat across from his desk.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Gruthersford. Glad you could join me."  
  
"Happy Christmas, Professor Dumbledore. I 'ope everything went well at the feast?"  
  
"Quite, thank you. What can I do for you?"  
  
"Oh, nothin' much, just 'ere to give m' report is all. I 'ate to bother you at Christmas time, Professor Dumbledore, sir."  
  
"Can I offer you some tea?"  
  
"Nah, can't stand the stuff. Do you 'appen to have any of that Firewhiskey around? I'm awful fond of that."  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, I remember. It's not good for your health, you know."  
  
"I know. M' wife 'ollers every time I open a bottle. It's like I always say, though. If a fella can't 'ave 'is fun, 'e might as well be dead."  
  
"True enough, true enough. I just happen to have a bottle here with your name on it." Instantly, Dumbledore's manner turned much friendlier. " It's good to see you, Gus."  
  
"'Tis been a long time, I'd wager, Albus."  
  
"It has been. How is your wife?"  
  
"Dru? She's fine. Jus' told me I'm going to be a grandpa. Can you believe that? An old man like me, a grandfather."  
  
"Congratulations. Which one of yours is having a child?"  
  
"Meri, m' firstborn. Proud as a peacock, 'e is."  
  
"You were, too."  
  
Gus grinned. "Aye. As I recall, so were you." Then grinned his grinned faded. "Oh. Terribly sorry about that, Albus."  
  
"It's no problem, Gus. I think I've finally accepted it."  
  
"That's good to 'ear. That's good to 'ear." He took a gulp of the Firewhiskey and scowled. "I'd best be getting on with it, I s'pose."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, I've done m' duty to Lily and James. 'Arry's just fine, and so is his girl. They all got out of that mess with th' Death Eaters. Terrible lot, that bunch."  
  
"Yes, I think so too," Dumbledore said, amused despite himself.  
  
"I gave 'im, er, 'Arry, Mrs. Potter's book. So everythin' should be right as rain now."  
  
Dumbledore grinned. "I had a feeling that was you, though you used remarkably good English, from what Harry and Ginny told me."  
  
"Good English comes in 'andy every now and again. It's just not normally worth the trouble, if you understand m' meaning."  
  
Amused, Dumbledore shook his head and moved on to other pressing questions. "How'd you get into the Ivy Room?"  
  
"Why 're you asking questions that you already know the answers to?" Mr. Gruthersford countered.  
  
"To make sure I'm right," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.  
  
"Well, being my size is always been, er, 'elpful, you know. I jus' sneaked in that back route that Mrs. Potter showed me and waited. I 'ad a feelin' that they'd work the 'mystery' out. Guess it never occurred to them to ask fer help in getting in, hmm?"  
  
"No, it didn't, I'm sure."  
  
"I was hidin' in that 'ole, you know, at the top of the room so I could toss the book at 'im, and got a good view of th' 'ole show."  
  
"That was cunning."  
  
"That was common sense," Mr. Gruthersford shot back. "You'd 'ave thought to do the same thing."  
  
"The attack at The Burrow. I have a feeling you know something about that."  
  
"That would be tellin' now, wouldn't it?"  
  
Dumbledore sighed, topped Mr. Gruthersford's glass off. "Does that help change your mind?"  
  
"Always were a good lad," Mr. Gruthersford mumbled, and then sighed in satisfaction. "A man don't get much better than this on the legal market. Where'd you come by it?"  
  
"I have my sources. The attack, if you please."  
  
"I have my sources." At Dumbledore's impatient look, he shifted. "Voldemort's servants aren't real careful around their own servants, you know. I was tipped off jus' a few hours afore the attack. I got the word out to the right people, is all, an' I made sure the Weasleys got out safe. Always liked 'em. Crazy, no doubt, but I always did."  
  
"What else do your sources tell you?" Dumbledore's eyes were sharp, watching for any stray movement on Mr. Grutherford's part.  
  
"Nobody knows fer sure where young Mr. Potter is, but they know that 'e's not at The Burrow. It's been causin' You-Know-Who some bad moments."  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "It's only a matter time before he works it out."  
  
"I don' know why yer worryin'. Mr. Potter has shown 'is ability to handle You-Know-Who. 'Arry'll take care of 'imself til you can get to him if something untoward were to happen."  
  
"Is something going to happen, Gus?"  
  
"I don' know, Professor. I just don' know."  
  
"Thank you for the information, Gus. Happy Christmas."  
  
With that, Mr. Gruthersford emptied his glass and stumbled to his feet. Anyone well acquainted with the wizarding world would have been surprised to see a small house-elf making his way out of the castle, but Mr. Gruthersford didn't seem to care as he whistled merrily.  
  
Before he left the castle, he made a side trip to the Ivy Room, smiled at the engraved 'P'.  
  
"I'll be seeing you, Master."  
  
**  
  
Christmas at The Burrow was as insane as usual, despite the attack on the Weasleys' home. Bill and Charlie had not yet arrived when the Death Eaters hit, and the others had escaped to a Ministry of Magic safe house using Portkeys.  
  
Now that the Ministry had turned The Burrow back over to the family, and Bill and Charlie had arrived.  
  
Ron was scowling at his leg, which had turned treacherously on him and now seemed to pounding to an alien rhythm. Standing on it for so long had done nothing positive for it, and Mrs. Weasley had been tempted to say something to him about the swelling. Ron, however, refused to admit that anything was wrong, except to himself on the most private of levels.  
  
Stretched out on the floor next to Ron's bed was his eldest brother, Bill.  
  
"Hurts, does it?"  
  
"What?" Ron asked, pretending to not have an idea what Bill was talking about.  
  
"Your leg. It hurts, doesn't it?"  
  
Ron chuckled. "It's nothing, really. Everybody gets their tendons ripped apart from their legs at some time or another. I'll get through it."  
  
Charlie opened the door and took a seat next to Bill. "Your leg hurt?"  
  
"No. It doesn't hurt."  
  
Bill grinned. "He's in denial."  
  
"I'm not in denial!" Ron nearly shouted it.  
  
"What's going on in here?" Hermione opened the door. "Is somebody hurt? There's a lot of shouting going on."  
  
"No, Hermione, nobody's hurt. My brothers are just trying to irritate me."  
  
Bill grinned. "There is no 'try' about it. We are irritating him."  
  
Hermione laughed. "I'll leave you to it. Ginny's trying to fix the Christmas tree; it sort of got damaged in the attack. I'll go lend her a hand."  
  
"No, you can stay awhile," Bill said, with an obvious teasing note in his voice. "Charlie and I would be more than willing to supervise."  
  
Ron growled and very nearly bared his teeth. "You can stay, Hermione. I'll make sure Bill and Charlie don't bug you."  
  
Smiling sweetly, Hermione shook her head. "I wasn't annoyed."  
  
"So, Hermione, how are you enjoying the holiday in our humble home?"  
  
"Oh, it's lovely!" Hermione blushed becomingly. "Everything is magic. In the Muggle world, well, obviously, everything isn't. We don't have presents that are charmed to hex whoever tries to open them early, or singing Christmas cards, or anything."  
  
Bill flashed a charming smile Hermione's direction and absently pulled on his ponytail. "I wouldn't imagine that there could be."  
  
"You think it's lovely now, just wait until you can't walk properly for a week all because you touched your presents ahead of time," Ron grumbled.  
  
"Why are you so. grumpy?" Hermione asked, slightly irritated.  
  
"I'm not grumpy!  
  
"His leg hurts," Charlie informed Hermione with a grin.  
  
"My leg does not hurt!"  
  
"Why didn't you say something?" Hermione ignored Ron's protests and began to examine the injury in question. "Madam Pomfrey gave you that potion to use for the pain. Were you moving too fast?"  
  
"My leg does not hurt. No, I was not moving too fast. No, I don't want to take any potion. All right?"  
  
Hermione pulled back, a bit burned, before she launched her counter-attack.  
  
"Ron, quit being stubborn! If it hurts, then fix the problem. What's the point in continuing to deny that he hurt you at all?"  
  
"I'm not being stubborn. My leg does not hurt. If it did, I would have told someone."  
  
"Then why do your brothers think that you're in pain?"  
  
"Because they're gits who can't mind their own business."  
  
Bill and Charlie started to laugh, but were cut off by the glares that both Ron and Hermione sent them.  
  
"There has to be some truth in what they're telling me."  
  
"What business is it of yours?" Ron demanded.  
  
"It's my business because you can't take care of yourself. If you wouldn't go around acting like that wound didn't exist, we wouldn't have to be having this conversation."  
  
"Why does everyone think I'm in denial? I know what happened, okay? I'm the only one that does. If I couldn't handle it, I'd tell someone."  
  
The volume of their verbal sparring was rising, and soon everyone in the house could understand very clearly what was being said.  
  
"Your leg hurts. Don't lie to me and tell me that it doesn't. I won't stand here and let you destroy that leg."  
  
"Why? Why won't you let me? Maybe I'd be better off without the damned thing."  
  
"Ron!"  
  
"Don't you 'Ron' me. You're not my mother, damn it. You're my girlfriend, and I'll say what I want."  
  
"Yes, I am your girlfriend! Heaven only knows why. You're as stubborn as a mule and stupid to boot."  
  
"I'm not stupid, and we both know it. Stop bothering me, Hermione. I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself."  
  
"Then it's about time you demonstrated it for everyone else. Because it seems to me that you're acting very much like a spoiled toddler."  
  
Ron's face grew redder with every word that was spoken.  
  
"You don't know what happened. You really don't know. You can't imagine what it was like. This twinge I feel now. that's not pain. Do you want to know what pain is? Pain is having your leg ripped apart by a madman with red eyes, who laughs the entire time you're screaming and calling out for your mother. Pain is not being able to bleed because the spell that he's using is so precise. Pain is being able to feel every single pore in your body heat up and prepare to explode."  
  
Ron watched the color drain from Hermione's face.  
  
"My leg doesn't hurt."'  
  
He sat back and closed his eyes. Bill and Charlie shifted their eyes from Ron to Hermione and back again.  
  
"Ronald Weasley, you are the only person alive who can make me feel so helpless and stupid."  
  
With that, Hermione stalked off.  
  
"Don't say anything," Ron nearly moaned from the bed. "Please don't. I don't think I could stand any older brother advice right now."  
  
"You've got something special there," Bill muttered. "Something really special. I'd hate to see it screwed up because you have some messed up idea of what she needs to know, and what she doesn't need to know. I think that you need to tell Hermione what happened."  
  
"Didn't I ask you not to say anything?"  
  
Charlie ignored him and picked up where Bill left off. "If she knows, then she can handle it better and she won't provoke useless fights with you to try to get a normal reaction out of you. Hermione only wants your relationship to mean something more, and trust me, when push comes to shove, you're going to value that in a woman."  
  
The two older Weasleys rose and left Ron to himself.  
  
"Sorry about him," Bill said sheepishly to Hermione, who was sitting, dazed, in a chair in Ginny's room, which was down the stairs.  
  
"It's all right. We'll work it out." She sighed. "We always do."  
  
"Sorry for staying in the room with you, but if we'd have left, I think it would have made things worse," Charlie said, and patted her shoulder. "I think you're in the right about this one."  
  
"Have you ever tried to make him tell you what happened the night he was abducted?" Bill asked seriously.  
  
"Not really. I got the impression he didn't want to talk about it."  
  
"Whether he wants to or not may not be the question. Maybe the question is whether or not he needs to talk about it."  
  
"Want to go for a walk, Bill?"  
  
"Yeah, of course."  
  
They left Hermione sitting there, rocking back and forth, thinking.  
  
"If he weren't so stubborn," she was thinking, "then we could just deal with this. But noooo. He's always got to be right. Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn. Why, I wish I could."  
  
Then it hit Hermione. What she and the professors had been doing wrong for the past month, why the spell wouldn't work when they modified it.  
  
"Oh, I can't believe I've been so stupid!" she exclaimed out loud, and started to run off towards Ron's room, then stopped short when she remembered they were fighting. "Ginny, Ginny! I've got it! I've got it!"  
  
"Well, that's good," Ginny said as she ran directly into her. "I've just had a vision. Harry's in trouble. Big trouble."  
  
**  
  
Tested In Fire Fans 


	29. A Silver Hand

For those that help me out when I'm in a bind.  
  
Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Silver Hand  
  
Harry was in trouble, and he knew it. The searing pain in his scar couldn't possibly bode well for him; it never did.  
  
He was pacing his room quickly, trying to work out what to do, when Sirius entered.  
  
"Come on, we've got to get out of here. I've just received word. The Death Eaters are coming, moving in from all sides of the Lodge. Grab your cloak, we haven't got much time."  
  
Hagrid's words came back to Harry, who could still remember just the way that his mentor had looked when he had tried to explain to that small orphan boy with knobby knees just exactly who he was. "Nobody lived once He decided to kill 'em."  
  
"There's a Portkey in my bedroom that will take us to a location just outside of Hogsmeade. I don't know if they've breached the security wards of the house yet, but I'm going to assume that they have. Stay behind me, and we'll try to get us both out of here alive."  
  
"All right."  
  
They both exited the room and ran out into the corridor.  
  
"They haven't breached the security wards, thank God," Sirius whispered.  
  
"ALOHOMORA!"  
  
"That comment may have been slightly premature," Harry whispered back.  
  
"Come on, they don't know where we are yet. All we've got to do is get to the Portkey."  
  
They managed to make down the corridor to Sirius's room without getting attacked. Almost.  
  
"Potter!"  
  
Harry turned, and could not believe his eyes. Both Malfoys stood there, with their wands outstretched.  
  
"Shall we duel?" Draco asked, with a cruel grin on his face.  
  
Sirius started forward. "Harry."  
  
"It's all right. I'll handle it. Actually," Harry said as casually as he could, "I'm sort of pressed for time, so I hope you don't mind if I make this short."  
  
Draco smirked. "Yes, well, I had planned on killing you slowly, but if you insist."  
  
"I don't have time to die today, Malfoy. See me next week." Harry's eyes caught hold of a large vase sitting in the corridor.  
  
"Are you just going to stand there all day, Potter?" Lucius asked mockingly.  
  
"No, actually, but I doubt you're going to do much standing after this. Wingardium Leviosa!"  
  
The vase rose, and when Harry lifted the spell, came crashing down on both of the Malfoys' heads.  
  
"That was nice," Sirius muttered.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
They reached Sirius's room, and Harry's godfather locked the door.  
  
"The Portkey is that bowtie sitting on the dresser."  
  
"A bowtie?" Harry asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, Dumbledore gave it to me. That's what the meeting was for."  
  
"Oh." Harry shook his head. As fond as he was of the Headmaster, sometimes he thought Dumbledore was a bit odd.  
  
"Grab the Portkey on the count of three, all right, Harry?"  
  
"All right. One."  
  
"Two."  
  
The two men exchanged a quick glance. "Three."  
  
They both grabbed a hold of the bowtie. Just as the world spun around Harry, and he felt himself being pulled from the pit of his stomach. Just before he went whirling through space he heard the noise of the Death Eaters breaking into the room, but they were too late.  
  
As Harry examined his new surroundings, he heaved a sigh of relief. He could see Hogwarts in the distance, and it was only a matter of time before he and Sirius made their way up. The little town of Hogsmeade was quiet and subdued in the evening air, and it actually looked quite cheerful.  
  
"Don't get too comfortable, Harry Potter."  
  
Harry turned to face the voice, and he felt a sinking. It seemed his stomach was dropping all the way to his toes. He recognized the face, and he recognized the voice, but the attitude was entirely different.  
  
"Pettigrew."  
  
"What are you doing here? How'd you find out about the Portkey?" Sirius demanded.  
  
"Your security isn't as tight as you think it is. Call me Wormtail. I've come to collect you for the Master."  
  
"You'll do no such thing, Wormtail." Sirius was angry, and vicious. "You'll have to go through me first."  
  
"How terrifying," Peter said mildly. "How utterly and completely horrifying. Perhaps I should just give up now and go home?"  
  
Sirius blinked. "That would be nice."  
  
Peter sighed in response. "I would like to, very much so, Sirius. But you see, Voldemort has requested that I bring him Harry Potter. I could hardly refuse him, now could I?"  
  
Sirius snarled. "Just like you couldn't refuse him fifteen years ago when he asked for James and Lily, you treacherous bastard."  
  
"Now, now, Sirius, we mustn't get upset. It's nothing personal, after all."  
  
Sirius's jaw dropped. "Like hell, it isn't personal. You don't get much more personal than handing my best friend and his wife and child over to a murderer."  
  
Peter tsked. "Please, Sirius. I simply wanted to advance in the ranks of my peers. You understand how it is."  
  
Sirius shook his head in disbelief. "No, Peter, I'm afraid I don't."  
  
"Well, then, let me explain it to you. You, James and Remus were so smart, and I never could get anything right."  
  
His face was glowing, his eyes were rapt, and his hands were shaking. He looked very much like a demon, and Harry held back a shudder. This was not the Peter Pettigrew he had met on previous occasions.  
  
"I would be something with Voldemort. I could make my own decisions! I could finally do something right."  
  
Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Let me ask you a question, old friend. How's that working out for you? James, Remus and I never chopped off your hand, did we?"  
  
Peter gritted his teeth.  
  
"We never insulted you, did we?"  
  
Peter tossed his head.  
  
"We never gave you a drug," Sirius guessed, and watched Peter's eyes snap. "Potions are all well and good, but the power is only an illusion."  
  
Suddenly, Harry understood. This wasn't the real Wormtail. Voldemort had given him something to make him more vicious.  
  
"You know nothing," Peter spat.  
  
"And you know what else we never did? We sure as hell never had you kill anyone. I don't see how your situation benefited from joining the ranks of the Death Eaters. With the Marauders, you were someone. You were important. You just could never get that through your head."  
  
"I have a new hand now, Sirius. I can deal with the insults, with the killing, because now I have power."  
  
He flexed the silver hand he sported for Harry and Sirius to see.  
  
"Yeah, of course you have power. You have an illusion of power. You mean nothing to Voldemort. Nothing, and he would sooner see you die than actually do anything that would help you."  
  
"Yes, well, our talking time is up. I highly regret what I have to do now, and I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies."  
  
"I can never forgive you for killing James and Lily."  
  
"No, not about that. I'm afraid I don't owe you an apology for that one. I meant that I will regret having to kill you now."  
  
Peter raised his wand, and Harry saw his opening. He charged Peter, knocked his wand from the silver hand. A quick punch to the pressure point was all it took to knock the former Marauder unconscious.  
  
"Grab him," he said to Sirius, who was looking rather dazed. "Make sure he stays out of it. We've got to get to Dumbledore, and Hogwarts, quickly. We've got quite a hike in front of us."  
  
**  
  
"Please don't do anything stupid. Please don't anything stupid," Ginny mumbled to herself as she paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. "Harry Potter, if you get yourself killed, I will never speak to you again."  
  
Finally Dumbledore's face appeared in the fire. He looked charming and rested. His eyes twinkled brightly. Ginny rather suspected that his happy expression wouldn't remain in place for long.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, I've had a vision."  
  
"Hello to you too, Miss Weasley."  
  
In spite of herself, Ginny smiled, but refused to be distracted. "Harry's in trouble, Professor. Lupin Lodge has been attacked."  
  
The Professor blinked, and for once in her life, Ginny believed that she had told the Headmaster something that he hadn't known previously.  
  
"Our intelligence shows Voldemort to be at another location at this time. That means that only the Death Eaters are involved, for now." Dumbledore sighed. "We had suspected an offensive move by Voldemort, but we were unaware that the Death Eaters had learned of Harry's true location. The last information that I had received implied that they were looking for him. This is an interesting development."  
  
"Professor, you've got to do something to help him!"  
  
"Sirius has a Portkey," the professor intoned quite calmly. "I imagine they were able to escape to the edge of Hogsmeade. I'll send a team of professors down to recover them."  
  
"Aren't you the least bit worried?" Ginny's voice was almost a whine.  
  
"Ginny Weasley," her mother reprimanded her. "Professor Dumbledore doesn't have time for this. Hermione, you tell him your news."  
  
"Professor, I've worked out where we've gone wrong all this time with the spell. It's in the prophecy, even."  
  
Dumbledore smiled. He felt some of the weight lift from his shoulders. "And what is the answer, Miss Granger?"  
  
"It's love, Professor." Hermione assumed her lecturing tone. "In the prophecy, the prophets are always talking about how it is the love of the Stag and the Flower for the Gryphon that defeated the Dark Lord the first time."  
  
"That is true," Professor Dumbledore agreed. "But what is the practical application?"  
  
"A shield, using the love between the Maiden and the Gryphon, sort of the like the one that was used by Harry's mum to protect Harry." Hermione bit her lip. "Actually, that's the simplified version of what we're really going to need to pull this off. We need an energy source. I've done the calculations, and Ginny and Harry don't have enough energy between the two of them to perform this spell. We need an outside energy source, a willing outside energy source to be exact."  
  
The professor's smile turned grim. "I believe we can supply that."  
  
"Harry and Ginny would have to take the energy from the source and then use that to force the capturing beam with their wands. They'll have to use their own personal energy to build the shield, as their love would be the most powerful source for this purpose."  
  
Ginny bit her lip. "So you're saying that we'd have to take energy from somebody else, cast one spell, and then set up our own defense?"  
  
"It's the only way that the spell will work properly."  
  
"There's still an incredible amount of danger involved," Mrs. Weasley said, not quite able to control her mother-hen feelings.  
  
"Yes I know, Molly, but they're the only ones who can do it," Professor Dumbledore reassured her, with regret in his eyes. "If there was any other way to handle it, that option would be grasped, but there are no other options, and if we don't get rid of Voldemort soon, he will reach his full potential. The magical balances will tip, because I won't be here to correct them. We're running out of time."  
  
"To better insure Harry and Ginny's survival, we should attack Voldemort when he's not ready for it," Charlie called out from the back of the room. "An immediate counter-offensive might be the way to go."  
  
All the eyes in the room turned to him.  
  
"I agree," Bill supplied, his voice quiet. "Voldemort's arrogance is based on the fact that no one would dare attack him, especially with his force so concentrated. I can call the Order and have them inside here Hogsmeade within ten minutes."  
  
"Wait," Percy interrupted. "We've got to make sure Voldemort turns up. It's no good taking on the minions if their leader isn't there."  
  
"We need bait," Ron said.  
  
"I think that fact that Harry and I will be there will be bait enough for Voldemort," Ginny countered.  
  
Dumbledore closed his eyes and seemed to consider his options.  
  
"I will go as bait," he determined finally. "I am nearing the end, anyway."  
  
"No," Arthur Weasley said. "We need you alive, Albus. More than anyone, we need you alive."  
  
Fred and George glanced at each other.  
  
"Perhaps we could be of service," Fred offered.  
  
"What?" Molly's shrill demand made both boys wince.  
  
"Well, we are card carrying members of the Order," George said with a grin and a shrug. "Believe it or not."  
  
"It's about time we started to pull our weight around here," Fred said with mock seriousness.  
  
Everyone in the room glared, daring the twins to make their point.  
  
"We might have something up our sleeves that could attract Voldemort," George said and chuckled.  
  
"Might?" Fred asked, seemingly outraged. "My dear brother, all Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products are guaranteed to work, or your money back."  
  
George rolled his eyes. "That's right, Fred. Well, anyway, we've got this, um. illusion that might convince the old bastard to turn up."  
  
"George Weasley!"  
  
"Sorry, Mum."  
  
"What is it, exactly?" Dumbledore wanted to know, his eyes shining with amused curiosity.  
  
"Well, it's a firework that looks like the Dark Mark. sort of," Fred said, his voice quieter than usual.  
  
Bill guffawed and Charlie covered his mouth.  
  
"I'm not even going to ask why," Ginny mumbled.  
  
George shrugged. "You never know when such things might come in handy."  
  
"I like it," Bill said finally. "I'm sure that Voldemort will, too."  
  
Fred and George grinned. "That's the plan."  
  
"All right then," Hermione said bravely. "It's all set. We'll come up to Hogsmeade with you all."  
  
Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm afraid I must ask you and Ronald to stay at The Burrow."  
  
Ron's eyes snapped and Hermione took a deep breath. "I'm afraid we can't obey, sir. Harry and Ginny will need us."  
  
Ron gaped. His strict rule-following girlfriend was actually defying Dumbledore! He had never felt prouder in his life.  
  
"I guess that's true," Dumbledore said, and it was evident how tired he was.  
  
"Do you have something to capture Voldemort in?" Charlie asked.  
  
"Yes," Hermione said with a grin. From her pocket she pulled a necklace on a chain. "It's a silver hand, like the one he gave Wormtail. I think it's the ultimate sign of imprisonment."  
  
Ron gulped. "Your sense of humor is impeccable."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
**  
  
Well, Dobby didn't die. (Sorry, private joke) Count your blessings. Want more TIF? Join my Yahoo! Discussion group: Tested In Fire Fans 


	30. In Which We're Almost Done

Chapter 29: In Which We're Almost Done  
  
Harry and Sirius trudged wearily towards Hogsmeade and The Three Broomsticks, neither one of them speaking. Sirius carried Wormtail over his shoulder, the living proof of his loyalty to the Potters, for those who had still refused to believe him. Harry had a feeling that now Sirius would finally be able to relax more than he ever had in the past.  
  
Harry himself had a strange yearning to grab Ginny from The Burrow and kiss her senseless, not that either one of them was brave enough for that. The adrenaline rush was over, for now. He only hoped that the attacks were over with for the night.  
  
When they reached the tavern, three teachers greeted them. Professors Sprout, Snape and McGonagall were decked out in all of their winter gear.  
  
The fire behind them crackled warmly, and Harry wanted desperately just to sit in front of it for about a year to thaw out his body, which seemed to have thawed.  
  
"Is that.?" Professor Sprout asked, gesturing towards Wormtail.  
  
"Is that what?" Sirius responded, feeling irritated and cold. "Blast it," he murmured.  
  
"I believe," Snape injected, "that Professor Sprout wishes to know if that is Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"Yes, that is Peter," Sirius said shortly. "Or what is left of what was Peter Pettigrew. Now he's just a rat."  
  
Professor McGonagall shot Sirius a disapproving look. "Really, Professor Black, you shouldn't try to pick fights."  
  
Sirius nearly snarled.  
  
"Sound familiar, Black?" Snape mocked, sounding almost boyish.  
  
"Yes," Sirius shot back. "She said it quite often. to you."  
  
Snape sneered. "I believe the reverse is true."  
  
Harry shook his head. It was sad to see two grown men act this way. No matter how much he disliked Snape, it would make his life easier if his Potions professor and his godfather could get along better.  
  
"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said with a kind, almost pitying look in her eye, "I'm afraid that your night has only just begun. Professor Dumbledore has decided to. Well, we'd best have this conversation elsewhere. Come with us."  
  
The head of Gryffindor house saw Harry's longing glance at the fire, and smiled. "I'm sure Professor Dumbledore's office will be just as warm as our present location, if not slightly warmer."  
  
Harry grinned. "All right then, let's go."  
  
"Mr. Potter, you're going to have to grab my watch on the count of three."  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed. "I did this earlier this evening."  
  
"I assure you the results will be better. This Portkey will take us directly to Professor Dumbledore's office."  
  
"I have one that Professor Black can use," Professor Sprout said helpfully.  
  
"And I," Snape said with a self-deprecating smile, "am here to make the scenery more pleasant."  
  
"Actually, Severus is here for security reasons," Professor McGonagall corrected mildly. "Are you ready, Mr. Potter?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"All right then. One. Two. Three."  
  
Harry and the professor grabbed the watch, and McGonagall twisted something. Quite suddenly they were whirling through space again, and landed with a bump in the middle of the headmaster's office. In which, Harry noted with a bit of surprise, there were more than a few Weasleys. In fact, as Harry's mind began to count, he suspected that all of the Weasleys were in attendance, including Percy and his newly reclaimed Penelope.  
  
"Harry!" A bright red fireball launched herself at the surprised boy, and Harry found his arms automatically encircling the small body.  
  
"Ginny!" he answered with just as much confusion. He was even more confused when Ginny gave him an affectionate, but hard, slap. "Ouch. What was that for?"  
  
"That was for scaring me like that. Honestly, the next time you're going to be killed you could send me a postcard or something."  
  
"But how did you know?"  
  
"I had a vision," Ginny said calmly. "But no one saw fit to give me the conclusion to your little dilemma. I thought the Malfoys were going to rip you apart."  
  
Harry shook his head. "No. I'm afraid the Malfoys will be out of any further movements on Voldemort's part tonight. Don't you think, Sirius?"  
  
Sirius grinned. "That's right. I'd say they'd be pretty cool to the idea."  
  
Harry returned his godfather's bright smile, and they both began to laugh.  
  
"Oh, that's horrible. Are they both unconscious?" Ginny asked, her tone mildly disapproving.  
  
"Yes," Harry answered decisively, "because--" he kissed her hair and breathed in her scent "--if I hadn't knocked them out, they would have killed me. Your past record has indicated you like me better alive than dead, so I reckoned I would make the trade."  
  
Harry got slapped again for that. He decided that he couldn't win.  
  
"Welcome back, Mr. Potter." It was the first time that Dumbledore had spoken. "Your night is not over, though. Miss Granger has finally fixed the spell, and it should work."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. He turned and enveloped Hermione in a hug. If Ginny had been less of a woman, she would have been jealous.  
  
"Well done, Hermione," he whispered.  
  
In spite of herself, Hermione felt herself tearing up.  
  
"It was nothing, really. It was obvious, once I figured out what the problem was."  
  
"It was more than that, and you know it, Hermione," Ron contradicted her. "Don't try to be modest. We all know you're brilliant, and this is only another chance you had to prove it."  
  
"Nice," Ginny muttered. "If she doesn't forgive him for that alone, she's a colder one that I am."  
  
"We've decided to attack Voldemort immediately. The most recent of our intelligence reports that we just received places him about three miles outside of school grounds," Sirius informed everyone, ignoring Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Is he planning to attack the school?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a shocked tone of voice.  
  
"I don't know, Molly," Professor Dumbledore responded frankly. "He tried last year."  
  
"We can't allow him and the Death Eaters to get to the school," Bill said, a bit of his Head Boy showing through.  
  
"So we lure him to the Shrieking Shack," Fred threw out, and everyone turned to look at him.  
  
"It really is quite simple," George agreed. "It's close enough to the school that we can retreat if necessary, and it's far away enough that we don't have to worry too much that the Death Eaters will attack Hogwarts."  
  
"What exactly is this product you're going to use to make Voldemort angry? You've given us the gist of it, but what does it do, exactly?" Charlie asked, after he had exchanged a look with Bill.  
  
Fred and George shook their heads simultaneously.  
  
"That would be telling," George answered with a grin.  
  
"We wouldn't want to do that," Fred agreed. "Bad for business, you know. Our motto is 'A Surprise Every Time You Buy,' after all."  
  
Molly's face was gradually turning red, and Arthur patted her hand comfortingly.  
  
"Maybe, my dear," he whispered to her, "it's best that we not know."  
  
"I don't want them wasting time making things like that. They're so clever, you know."  
  
"We'll have this conversation sometime later, Molly. We can't have it right now."  
  
Molly blushed becomingly. "Oh, I'm sorry."  
  
Dumbledore smiled. "It's good that you're not overly preoccupied with what is to come."  
  
"Professor, I believe we should hurry. We don't have much time to teach Ginny and Harry the incantation and wand movements, you know," Hermione cut in. "Also, we have to find someone whose magical energy we can borrow."  
  
"The last part of your question is very simple to answer, Miss Granger. You'll be using my energy."  
  
"Professor Dumbledore!"  
  
The Headmaster blinked in shock. No less than six people had just shouted at him.  
  
"My energy, not me," he clarified. In his old age, he found that he had to do that more and more often. In most cases it was amusing, but now he was just tired. "You see, I've been storing it. I'm quite sick, as Fawkes and Professor McGonagall would tell you in a heartbeat if I let them, and I wouldn't be much use to you if I were there in the physical form.  
  
"I've taken the liberty of transferring my energy to another student, who will, I imagine, be more than willing to help you, even if he is a little shocked."  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Who?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled, and his eyes twinkled with self-satisfaction. "Neville Longbottom."  
  
"Neville Longbottom?" Ginny was truly shocked. "But, I mean, he's almost a Squib."  
  
"Exactly," Dumbledore said.  
  
Hermione, naturally, was the first to pick up on it. "Only a near Squib would be able to handle that much magical energy. There's so little of it in his system."  
  
"Exactly, Miss Granger. Ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Dumbledore praised.  
  
"Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said, and then caught herself when they all looked at her. "Mr. Ronald Weasley, will you please retrieve Mr. Longbottom from his dormitory?"  
  
Ron nodded and took off towards the Gryffindor dormitories.  
  
Harry was still struggling with his disbelief.  
  
"Neville?" He shook his head, and decided to leave it alone.  
  
"Here's how the spell should work," Hermione began. "You need to form an equilateral triangle, with you and Ginny being the base angles facing Voldemort, and Neville being the tip, the furthest from any sort of danger."  
  
"Equilateral triangle, Ginny and I closest to Voldemort. Got it."  
  
Hermione nodded. "Next you'll need to build a defensive shield so that you can work the next bit without anything terribly nasty happening to you while you're trying to save the world."  
  
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Fred mumbled.  
  
"My sentiments exactly," George agreed in a subdued tone.  
  
"To build this magical shield, you need to focus on your strongest emotion at the time. Harry's parents suggested your love for each other in their original notes."  
  
Harry and Ginny blushed.  
  
"Well, it's not like their relationship is news to us," Ron muttered. Hermione shot him a look, and he managed to look contrite.  
  
Sirius was studying Hermione carefully, listening to every word. He was going to be there to take care of his godson, even though he hadn't been able to do so the first time Harry had needed him in that capacity.  
  
"Anyway," Hermione said, apparently feeling it was time to move on, "once you're both in accord with one another, then you have to say Defensia at the same time. Otherwise the spell is unbalanced."  
  
"Defensia, same time," Ginny said to herself. "Sounds simple enough.  
  
"Good," Hermione approved, "but that's just the beginning. There are two other incantations you need to learn."  
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged a look of panic, but only briefly.  
  
"We'll remember it," Ginny said forcefully. "We have to."  
  
Hermione nodded. "That's good to hear. To take the energy that you'll need from Neville, simply flick your wand and say Clepto."  
  
"Clepto," Harry and Ginny echoed together.  
  
"Excellent. Then, once the energy has been stored in your wands, it can only stay there for so long, otherwise you'll both have some unpleasant side effects."  
  
When Harry and Ginny exchanged yet another look, Hermione sighed and found herself having to explain even more.  
  
"Your wands aren't really meant to store energy, just magnify it. Most witches and wizards simply don't have enough magical energy to perform wandless magic. A wand magnifies that power, that energy, to a point where it's focused enough to do what the witch or wizard wants it to do. They do this by constantly being in touch with your magical aura. Storing the energy in the wand means that that power is being connected with your aura. If there are two people on this earth who couldn't handle anymore magical energy be connected with their auras, it's you and Ginny, Harry.  
  
"Listen, the reason that you two alone can perform the spell is because of your unique abilities. Ginny is a Seer, which means that the magical energy in her aura is decidedly different than a normal witch's. Harry, on the other hand, has an extremely high level of magic in his aura because of genetics and Voldemort's early attack, which means that more energy would be deadly for the both of you."  
  
When they still looked a bit confused, she went on.  
  
"That sort of energy would begin to mingle with yours, and you'd experience an overload. Nausea, headache, loss of conscious, and delirium are all possible results. Of course, that's just the physical effects. I'm not sure you want to hear about the magical ones."  
  
"No thanks," Harry mumbled weakly. "I'll pass."  
  
"I rather thought so," Hermione agreed. "Now, the third spell you'll have to learn is going to be by far the hardest, as you'll have to maintain your defense shield and keep Neville safe while trying to capture Voldemort's power in the silver hand."  
  
Ginny swallowed, then nodded. "All right. What's the incantation?"  
  
"Philantra Carpe."  
  
"Let's run through it," Harry suggested. "I want to make sure we've got it down."  
  
"Harry! Ginny! Sirius! Are you all fine? We came as soon as we heard."  
  
Through the door came Remus and Anna, who didn't look the least bit relaxed from their extremely brief honeymoon.  
  
"They're fine, Anna," Remus said patiently. "That's Dumbledore's letter said."  
  
"I know," she moaned, "I just can't believe it had to happen tonight."  
  
"Actually," Bill threw in, "it's perfect timing for Voldemort."  
  
Ginny and Harry stood together in a corner, running over the incantations and the spell.  
  
"What's going on?" Neville Longbottom's voice paused all the activity in the office, except for Ron, who sat down heavily next to Hermione.  
  
"We're going after Voldemort tonight," Harry said quietly. "Would you like to help?"  
  
Neville face paled. "You're what?"  
  
"Going after Voldemort. We've got a spell that should bring him down, once and for all," Ginny announced firmly.  
  
"Why do you want my help? I'm horrible at everything. Potions, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts. Really, the only thing you'd need me for is Herbology, and you can't defeat You-Know-Who with plants."  
  
Dumbledore stood slowly. "They'd like to use your energy, Mr. Longbottom."  
  
Understanding lit up on Neville's face. "Oh, I see. They want to use me as a channel!"  
  
"Precisely," Dumbledore said with a hint of congratulation and pride in his voice.  
  
"How did you know about all this?" Hermione demanded. "I've spent months researching, not mention the time that Harry's parents spent in the library."  
  
"It runs in my family," Neville said, as though it were common. "It used to be quite ordinary for a wizard to store his power in another wizard's aura to use at a later date. There have been some powerful witches and wizards who were Longbottoms, and those that weren't contributed in other ways."  
  
Hermione grinned. Neville had grown up considerably since first year, and he was showing it now.  
  
"We'd best move out now," Dumbledore announced. We don't have much time."  
  
**  
  
Tested In Fire Fans- You know the drill, people. This is my personal website, so if you want the latest TIF news, this is where you'll get it. We're down to one more chapter. I hope you're rooting for the good guys! 


	31. Tested In Fire

By the way, the idea of a "channel" belongs to Mercedes Lackey in her "Heralds of Valdemar" series. Read them sometime.

Also, the "Death Snacker" comes from Aibhinn's story, "Heal The Pain", which is conveniently located at Gryffindor Tower. I'm borrowing it temporarily. I promised I'd have it back to her by the end of the week. Read her fic, too. If you like mine, hers'll blow you away. Another thing that I borrowed for the Weasley twins was the "Moldiemort" idea from Anya's "Naked Quidditch Match"… which is dead friggin' brill.

Chapter 30: Tested In Fire 

After they had all left his office, Dumbledore sat down to reflect on what was about to happen. Shortly, he would give over the last of his energy, and he would die. Death was, to his mind, the supreme adventure. He had a feeling all the rules would change and that new challenges, new things to learn would await him in whatever came next.

Time had been his enemy these past few years. Trying to teach his students everything that they would need to know to survive without him over the past year had been extremely difficult, but he had watched as they had matured into something more than they had been.

Harry Potter had been an orphan boy with knobby knees and broken glasses when he'd arrived at Hogwarts. Now he was a confident young man, on his way to being an extremely powerful wizard.

Hermione Granger had been a busy know-it-all when she'd first come to Dumbledore's school, and now she was a brilliant young woman with love and strength in her eyes. Her young man would need that.

Ron Weasley had never really felt like his own person, having been defined by his older brothers for most of his life. Now, Dumbledore thought with a smile, he hadn't exactly worked out who he was, but he was on the right track. The strength it would take to get over his injuries was something that Ron would have to find from somewhere deep within himself, Dumbledore knew. But he also had confidence that Ron would find it.

Draco Malfoy had been an arrogant, conceited, spoiled child who had only wanted the love of his father. Now he was gone from Hogwarts, and Dumbledore felt like he had almost failed. There was still hope for Draco, if only someone could get to him. He wasn't evil yet.

From his perch, Fawkes trilled. Dumbledore sighed.

"I know. It's almost time."

The bird made another comforting noise.

"It's harder to let go than I thought. So many people…" His voice trailed off. "I remember once, when Lily Evans's parents passed, she asked me if I thought she would ever see them again."

Fawkes cocked his head.

"I said yes, of course. Now, I hope I get to see them. All of them."

Fawkes whistled.

"I failed with Tom, too."

This time, Fawkes made a disapproving sound.

Dumbledore nodded. "All right, no more of that. I should write to Minerva, leave a list of things to be done." 

Fawkes shook his head.

"I guess now is as good a time as ever for her to take over. She's been doing her job for a good many years, and lately, parts of mine. She probably doesn't need a list."

Fawkes agreed.

"Well, there's one more thing I must get done."

With that, Dumbledore sat in his chair and pulled out a quill. Though his fingers sometimes shook now, and his eyes weren't what they once were, he could still leave something important behind, for all of them. Thoughtfully, he chewed the end and began to scratch out a note.

**

The small group made good time getting to the Shrieking Shack, and none of them talked. Each one of them was lost in his own world. 

Harry and Ginny were walking hand in hand, trying to be discreet about it, but needing the physical contact.

Walking next to them, Ron and Hermione made no effort to hide their love for each other, as they had both temporarily forgotten they were fighting with each other. They walked arm in arm, much like Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Remus and Anna shared affectionate kisses every now and again, and every time they did, Sirius would roll his eyes.

Finally, they arrived at their destination, and everyone took a deep breath.

Remus shuddered a little before entering the house of his youthful horror, but Anna held tightly to his hand.

"Come on, let's be quick about this," Fred said finally, and they all entered.

"First things first," George said, "we've got to set this up just right."

"Do you need help?" Remus asked, from where he stood with his arm around Anna's waist.

"No." They both said it at the same time, then turned to grin at each other.

"We've got this one worked out," Fred said.

"Down to perfection," George agreed.

"We'll stay out of your way, then," Harry said.

Remus and Sirius leaned over, watched the boys work.

"Well," Sirius said and heaved a sigh, "they're almost as good as we were."

Remus grinned. "Almost."

"If you two don't mind," Fred said as he grunted and cut a piece of paper of the lump they were stirring with a fork, "we'd like a relative amount of silence while we work on our masterpiece, if you will."

Remus and Sirius exchanged glances.

"Where does this need for silence come from?" Remus asked. "It certainly never happened in my classroom."

"Yes, well, we don't need it anymore. Done," George announced proudly.

Ron and Hermione stopped talking and walked over.

"What," Hermione began, "is that?"

"It looks like a lump of… well, brown stuff," Ron said when Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Exactly," George said.

"That way," Fred informed them, "no one messes with it, and no one gets hurt accidentally."

"This is," George said importantly, "a Death Snacker Lump."

"A Death Snacker Lump?" Anna's voice was disbelieving. "You've got to be kidding me. That's not even funny."

Ginny was snickering, but stopped when Anna looked at her.

"Honestly," she said, mimicking Hermione on purpose, "what will Mum think?"

"I don't know. Let's ask her," Harry suggested.

Molly Weasley just covered her eyes.

"What does it do?" Hermione demanded, ignoring everyone else.

"Well," Fred said with a hint of a grin, "it does something like this."

There was a loud BOOM as the twins whispered a spell that no one could hear and the lump exploded. Nothing happened for a moment, then the group oohed and ahhed.

"Brilliant," Ginny whispered.

Harry doubled over in laughter. He supposed hysteria and nerves might have something to do with it, but it really was amusing.

Remus and Sirius shook their heads.

"Really…" Molly whispered.

The Weasley twins had sent up a firework that left a lasting image above the Shrieking Shack, one that sort of resembled the Dark Mark. Only this one had bright gold letters written across it that said, "Moldiemort was here."  

"What did you have that lying around for?" Hermione wanted to know.

Fred shrugged. "You never know."

George smiled. "You know what they say, always be prepared."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you two took it to the extreme this time."

Harry didn't make a comment. His eyes had gone away, to a place that no one seemed to be able to follow him to. Just as Ginny worked out what was happening, Harry told everyone.

"Voldemort's here, and he's not alone."

**

Everything seemed to happen very quickly. Ron, Hermione, the rest of the Weasleys, and the professors arranged themselves around Harry, Ginny, and Neville in a protective circle.

Finding Ginny's hand in his own, Harry glanced down at her with something like surprise in his eyes.

"We're doing this together," she whispered to him. "Really together."

Harry smiled. "All right."

Just then, Voldemort's Death Eaters began to make noise outside of the Shrieking Shack. "We've found 'em, my lord," an especially stupid one called out.

Lucius Malfoy could be heard next. "Where's Dumbledore?" 

Ginny very nearly shuddered at the tone of his voice, but bravely called out, "He's unable to come. He sends his regards."

"My lord, Dumbledore is not here."

"I heard her," said a voice that was almost a hiss. The man that slithered in was nothing like the Tom Riddle that Ginny remembered from her diary, except for the eyes. Not for the first time, Ginny was sure he had evil eyes.

"Potter."

Harry ignored Voldemort. "Come on, Gin. Shields up."

"What is this?"

"Nothing, Tom. Pay me no mind," Harry said, almost mockingly, though Ginny could feel the fright in him.

Reluctantly, they released each other's hands. Closing their eyes, they each focused.

"I promised you once I would kill you. Do you remember?"

Harry nodded. "I recall making that same promise to myself about you."

"Ready?" Ginny asked in a low.

Harry nodded.

"_Defensia!_" They both yelled it, and to everybody's astonishment, a blue shield-like wave of energy began to flow around them.

"So, you've discovered your parents' spell." There was a tone of mockery in Voldemort's voice. "It doesn't work, you know."

Harry grinned, but it wasn't a nice grin. "I know."

"Ah. We're playing a game. But don't you think the stakes are a little high for a chess match, Potter?" He waved his wand at the Weasleys. "Kill them." 

The order was absent, almost carefree.

"Quickly," Harry whispered to Ginny. "We've got to move quickly. Concentrate on Neville."

Ginny nodded, and pulled out the silver hand. 

"Ready?" Ginny asked Neville after a minute.

"As I'll ever be," Neville said with a smile.

"_Clepto!_"

The energy in their wands began to make them quake.

Around them, they could hear the distant sounds of a battle, but they couldn't focus on that. They had to focus on the spell.

Then Harry nodded, and the unspoken signal was understood by the both of them. 

They held the silver hand together, and reached it towards the Dark Lord. "_Philantra Carpe!_" 

**

Ron's leg hurt. He sincerely hoped that it wouldn't cramp on him and make running impossible, but he had more important things to worry about. Like stunning Death Eaters before they could kill him.

There were fewer Death Eaters than there were Weasleys and professors, and so the action was pretty spread out, but that didn't mean that Ron wouldn't have to concentrate.

"_Pertificus totalus!_" he shouted, so worn and tired he couldn't just say the incantation.

Suddenly, he heard a shocked scream. 

"Hermione!"

Limping his way over, he saw Hermione was caught by a Death Eater, heard him whisper, "_Crucio!"_ almost stroking the word as if he were stroking a lover.

"No!" He leaped, and knocked out the Death Eater with his bear hands.

"Hermione, are you all right?" he demanded.

"Hurts," she whispered. "All over."

"I know. I'm sorry. Hold on, okay?"

Hermione managed a tired nod.

Then Ron heard Harry and Ginny call out the magic words.

**

In his office, Dumbledore smiled, and the quill dropped from his hand.

**

Harry's whole body shook with effort. He nearly sobbed with relief. It was over. 

From across the room, Lucius Malfoy stood slowly, raised his wand and pointed it at Harry. Before anyone could speak, or move, he whispered, "_Avada Kedavra_."

Neville leaped in front of his hero. Harry reached to try to pull him out of the way, but it was too late. Neville, the boy who had worked so hard to be mediocre, who never felt like he got any recognition for anything in his life, the boy who thought he had been a Squib for a large portion of his life, was smiling as he died. 

**

_Dear Mr. Potter and Ms. Weasley,_

_  
If you are reading this, then all that I had hoped for has finally come to pass. Lord Voldemort is gone from your lives, never to touch them again._

_That's not to say that evil has been conquered. Oh, no. Too often do we see those of the Dark rise to power, and too often we find ourselves having to be the ones to cut them back._

_This all began with unreasonable hate, so fight it with unreasonable love._

_A long time ago, a friend of mine said to me that true love has to be tested in fire before it could be pronounced pure gold. I hope that yours has made it through the flames._

_Best wishes and good luck from your Headmaster,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

**

My Thanks and Acknowledgements To You 

First and foremost, my thanks go to J.K. Rowling for her wonderful story- without which "Tested In Fire" would not be here.

A big shot out to the Divine Power, without which this would have never been anything at all. Thank You for all that You do for me.

Secondly, I need to thank Anne, for doing a wonderful job as my beta and being one of the very first members of my Yahoo! Group, which coincidentally, is located here: Tested In Fire Fans. She's been a wonderful help to me, as well as being patient beyond what I would be. I hope she's ready to go on board for the sequel, which, heaven help me, I've already started work on.

Paula also deserves credit, because she beta'd this story during the first five chapters, I believe. Thank you! You gave TIF a wonderful start, and I loved exchanging e-mails for the short time that we did.

Next, I need to thank Jessica and Michelle. Our friendship really has been _tested in fire_, and they've come through for me in more ways than one.

Debbie and Meghan S.: You two have been absolutely wonderful towards me. You've been great pals, and I'm rooting for the both of you in life, and in your creative projects!

Risa- my pal who's been going through some rough times, but you would never know it. You've been an inspiration for me, as well as providing some lines for Anna. She's based on you… some of the way.

Maria: Thanks for reading this and supporting me, and bugging me about updating, and wanting the sequel. Without you, I would have going insane. 

Zach, a.k.a. Draco Verde, a.k.a. Insane Git- Thanks for your encouragement and the time you helped me deal with the flamer! I love you, little brother… well, I guess you're bigger than me. Don't blush. I mean it.(About loving you… well, yea, and you being bigger…)

Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! It's been an amazing journey!

.


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